Celebrations began on Thursday in Brunei, the small and wealthy oil state, to mark the marriage of Prince Abdul Mateen (32 years old), who was until now one of the most eligible bachelors in Asia. The Islamic wedding ceremony for the prince and his bride, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah (29 years old), who is the granddaughter of one of the Sultan’s advisors, took place at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, known for its golden domes, in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
A luxury car transported the young prince in his traditional white outfit, adorned with diamond-shaped embroidery and a matching traditional headgear, to the mosque. He sat on a raised yellow cushion in front of the imam, who led the ceremony designated for men only, attended by the Sultan, his relatives, and guests. He then approached his father and kissed his hand.
Mateen is the tenth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 77 years old, one of the world’s longest-serving rulers, who has led the monarchy since his father abdicated the throne in 1967. The Sultan, who was once the richest man in the world, has ruled this nation, which was under British protection until 1984 and has implemented Islamic law since 2019.
The royal wedding celebrations will culminate on Sunday with a grand ceremony at the massive palace, which consists of 1788 rooms, followed by a procession through the city. Members of major royal families from around the world and several political leaders are expected to participate. Many residents of the country, which spans 5,700 square kilometers, plan to watch the procession on Sunday as the royal couple greets the crowd from a horse-drawn carriage. The opulence of this wedding reflects the immense wealth of this nation, which has a population of 450,000, and its prosperity is almost entirely based on its vast oil reserves, which have been exploited since the 1930s.
