Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’: Did He Wake Up After 20 Years In Coma? Know Truth About Al-Waleed bin Khaled

A viral video has taken social media by storm, claiming that Saudi Arabia's Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, famously known as the "Sleeping Prince," has finally woken up after being in a coma for nearly 20 years.

The prince, who turned 36 on April 18, 2025, has been in a coma since a devastating car accident in 2005. But has he really regained consciousness? The answer is no.

What Did the Viral Video Claim?

The video shows a man in a hospital bed being warmly greeted by visitors, with on-screen text stating that the Sleeping Prince had finally woken up after two decades. One user captioned the video:

"Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, known as the 'Sleeping Prince' who has been in a coma since a car accident in 2005, has finally woken up."

This video quickly went viral across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), fueling hope and speculation among users.

The Truth: It's Not the Sleeping Prince

Fact-check: The man in the video is not Prince Al-Waleed, but Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi, a billionaire rally driver.

According to an Instagram update by Yazeed Racing on April 12, 2025, Al-Rajhi and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk had been involved in a crash during the Baja Jordan rally. They were both hospitalized for precautionary checks and later diagnosed with spinal fractures.

"They were transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Both are fully conscious and in stable condition," read the official post.

A recovery video of Yazeed Al-Rajhi was later misused and misrepresented alongside an image of the actual Sleeping Prince, causing widespread confusion online.

Why Is Prince Al-Waleed Still in a Coma?

Prince Al-Waleed's condition has remained largely unchanged since 2005. He has occasionally shown signs of limited responsiveness, but he has not regained full consciousness.

According to a report by the Times of India, doctors advised the prince's father to consider ending life support, but he refused, saying:

"If God wants him to wake up, he will."

The prince is a great-grandson of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdulaziz, and is widely known across the Arab world due to the longevity and emotional weight of his condition.

The viral video is completely misleading. The Sleeping Prince has not woken up. The video actually shows another Saudi billionaire who is recovering from a rally crash and has no connection to Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal.

As always, verify before you share. In the age of social media, misinformation spreads fast-especially when emotions are involved.