Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen, who has been dubbed as one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors, has tied the knot with his non-royal fiancee, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, in a grand 10-day royal wedding. The couple, who announced their engagement in December, exchanged vows in front of thousands of guests at the Istana Nurul Iman palace on Sunday, January 14, 2024.
The bride, 29, is the granddaughter of Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman, an adviser to Brunei’s leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. She is also the owner of a fashion and tourism company, according to local media reports. The groom, 32, is the tenth child of the Sultan, the world’s longest-reigning monarch and one of the richest. He is a lieutenant in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and a polo player who has represented his country in international tournaments.
The royal wedding, which kicked off on January 7, featured a series of traditional ceremonies and lavish celebrations, including a royal powdering ceremony, a solemnisation at a golden-domed mosque, a wedding procession in an open-top Rolls Royce, and a banquet at the palace. The wedding guests included royalty from Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and the leader of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The couple made their first public appearance as a married couple, waving at the crowds of well-wishers who lined the streets of the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Schoolteacher Norliha Mohamad told AFP news agency that the chance to glimpse the royal couple was a “once-in-a-lifetime moment”.
The prince, who has a huge fan following on social media, surprised many of his admirers when he revealed his relationship and engagement to Anisha Rosnah in December. He posted a photo of himself and his bride-to-be on Instagram, with the caption: “The day I’ve been waiting for, Alhamdulillah (praise be to God).”
The prince’s Instagram account, which has over 2.5 million followers, is filled with pictures of him in his army uniform, playing polo, travelling, and spending time with his family and pets. He has also shared some glimpses of his wedding festivities, such as a video of him and his bride dancing at their reception.
The prince’s marriage to a commoner is not unprecedented in Brunei, a small, oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo. His father, the Sultan, married a former flight attendant, Pengiran Anak Saleha, in 1965. She is now the queen consort and the mother of six of the Sultan’s 12 children. The Sultan also married two other women, but divorced them in 2003 and 2010, respectively.
The prince’s wedding is seen as a symbol of the royal family’s modernity and openness, as well as a celebration of love and happiness. The couple’s romance has captivated the hearts of many people, both in Brunei and abroad, who wish them a long and blissful marriage.