Saudi Arabia's ‘Sleeping Prince' turns 36: a family's 20-year vigil for a miracle

IOL News

13-05-2025

Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal has been in a coma since 2005.
Image: NDTV screenshot
The story of Saudi royal Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, often referred to as the "Sleeping Prince", is as heartbreaking as it is thought-provoking.
Since 2005, this young man, once a vibrant 16-year-old with dreams of serving in a British military college, has been in a deep coma following a severe car accident, according to NDTV.
Now, 20 years later, his family remains steadfast in their faith, refusing to withdraw life support despite medical consensus deeming his condition irreversible.
The ongoing saga is a stark reminder of the profound moral, ethical, and emotional dilemmas faced by families and medical professionals when grappling with such decisions.
At its heart lies a question that transcends culture and geography: When does hope become a burden, and who decides when to let go?
The case became a global conversation in April 2025, as the prince turned 36 years old.
The family's unwavering belief in a miracle, despite two decades of medical diagnoses and prognoses labelling his condition irreversible, has reignited debates on medical ethics and the role of faith in healthcare decisions.
An old statement resurfaced online of the prince's father, Khaled bin Talal, stating that his persistence is rooted in faith. 'If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would be in his grave right now'.
سعودی شہزادہ الولید بن خالد بن طلال، جو دو دہائیوں سے زائد عرصے تک کوما میں ہیں اور پوری عرب دنیا میں "Sleeping Prince" کے نام سے جانے جاتے ہیں، نے جمعہ 18 اپریل کو اپنی 36 ویں سالگرہ منائی۔ سعودی پرنس 2005 میں لندن میں ایک خوفناک کار حادثے کے نتیجے میں کوما میں چلے گئے تھے تاہم… pic.twitter.com/Riir0TkxaH — Your Desire (@YousafK53695321) April 22, 2025
His words struck a chord with many who share similar religious convictions. At the same time, sceptics point to the immense physical, emotional, and financial toll such decisions can take, not only on the family but also on healthcare systems. While the decision to keep someone on life support for decades is not without consequences.
Beyond the emotional toll, the financial strain can be staggering. Reports suggest that long-term care for patients in comas can cost anywhere from $70,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on the country and medical facilities involved.
For the majority of families, such costs are unsustainable, often leading to difficult compromises. In the case of Al-Waleed, however, financial resources are not a concern.
As a member of Saudi Arabia's royal family, his care is provided at the state-of-the-art King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. But for countless others, the decision to continue life support may come at the expense of their own financial stability.
This is not an isolated story. Families around the world face comparable situations, though perhaps less publicised. According to a 2021 study published in "Critical Care Medicine", around 6% of ICU patients in the U.S. remain in prolonged states of unconsciousness, such as comas or vegetative states.
In many cases, the decision to continue or withdraw life support becomes a deeply personal one, influenced by cultural, religious, and emotional factors.
Medical professionals, too, bear the weight of these dilemmas. While their primary responsibility is to prioritise the well-being of patients, they must also respect the wishes of families, even when those wishes conflict with clinical evidence.
In cases like Al-Waleed's, where the prognosis is considered irreversible, doctors often advocate for withdrawing life support, citing the importance of quality of life over mere biological existence. However, families may view such recommendations as giving up on their loved one.
The challenge is balancing the scientific evidence with the family's emotional and spiritual needs. Doctors are trained to save lives, but they're also trained to recognise when further intervention is futile.
It's a heartbreaking conversation to have, but a necessary one. Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this story is the lost potential of a life once full of promise.
Al-Waleed had ambitions of serving in the military, a dream now frozen in time. For his family, every day on life support is an act of love, a testament to their belief that miracles can happen. But for many others, such prolonged states of limbo spark questions about what the patient would have wanted.
If he could speak, would he ask to be kept alive indefinitely, or would he have chosen to let go? These are questions that haunt families worldwide, and they often remain unanswered.
At its core, the story is not just about one family or one culture, it's a universal tale of love, hope, and the human struggle to find meaning in loss.
It forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about mortality, faith, and the limits of modern medicine.
For families facing similar dilemmas, the 'Sleeping Prince' serves as both a source of inspiration and a reminder of the weight such decisions carry.
Whether driven by faith, science, or love, these choices reflect the complexity of human life and the enduring hope that, even in the darkest of times, something miraculous might still be possible.