More likely than a conspiratorial conjecture is the very legitimate probability that the person was a student.
More likely than being a Royal is the person was a member of a very prominent business family of which there are lots and lots. The Saudi’s know that for many career paths, the best education is available in America. They are or at least were partial to smaller schools where temptation was not as great as known party schools.
The people of whom I speak are unknown to the biased anti Saudi folk who post here. They are there however and the very people that come here to be educated are or will be in control. They are not the radical stereotyped wackos who have left the country on Jihad.
He was wearing a white Ghutrah in almost every photo which is unique to the Royal Family. Now, the Saudi Royal Family is very large, thousands of members. (Dark blue Ghutrahs are worn by those who claim a descent to Mohammed, checkered or pattered Ghutrahs are worn by regular citizens with the color and pattern often designating where they are from, solid color Ghutrah are reserved for those of extreme importance with white designating some link to the royal house of Saud).