Fact Check: No, Saudi 'Sleeping Prince' Did Not Wake Up After 20 Years in a Coma

New Delhi: Saudi Arabia’s Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, famously known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has been in a coma for 20 years following a car accident in 2005. The royal marked his 36th birthday on April 18, 2025. Just days later, a video began circulating on social media, claiming that the prince had miraculously woken up and was seen reuniting with his family. But the truth is quite different, the video does not feature the prince at all. Instead, it shows Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi, a Saudi billionaire and motorsport figure.

What Did the Viral Video Claim?

Social media posts praised what they believed was a miraculous recovery. One post read, “The Sleeping Prince of Saudi who had a hard accident 20 years ago has finally regained his life, all thanks to the father who refused to give up on him.” The post included a photo of the actual prince and a video of a man in a hospital room surrounded by well-wishers. But while the image was of Prince Al-Waleed, the video was not.

Who Is Yazeed Al-Rajhi?
The man seen in the video is Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi, a well-known Saudi businessman and rally champion. He had recently been injured in a car crash during the final stage of the Baja Jordan race. On April 12, Al-Rajhi’s official rally team, Yazeed Racing, confirmed that he and his co-driver Timo Gottschalk were taken to the hospital for evaluation. Both were conscious and stable at the time.

How is Al-Rajhi Now?
Later medical reports revealed that Al-Rajhi had suffered fractures in two vertebrae, while his co-driver had four spinal fractures. As part of his recovery, several videos were shared showing him interacting with loved ones from his hospital bed. It was one of these clips that was wrongly linked to the “Sleeping Prince” narrative.

Despite the emotional tone of the posts, the claim that Prince Al-Waleed has woken up is false. The prince remains in a coma, and no official sources have confirmed any changes in his condition. This mix-up highlights how easily misinformation can spread, especially when hope is involved.

While the video does show a real and inspiring recovery, it’s not the miracle many believed it to be. Yazeed Al-Rajhi is making progress after his accident, but Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, Saudi Arabia’s “Sleeping Prince”, remains unconscious, 20 years after his tragic accident.

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