Leaders and blue bloods descend on Brunei for royal wedding climax

Lavish celebrations for the wedding of Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen and his wife will climax Sunday with a glittering ceremony attended by government leaders and blue-blooded guests from around the world.

Mateen, 32, and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, 29, will make their first public appearance as a married couple in a procession through the normally sleepy capital Bandar Seri Begawan that is expected to draw thousands of onlookers.

The popular prince was Asia’s most eligible bachelor until Thursday when he tied the knot with Anisha Rosnah, who is from a prominent family in Brunei.

Mateen’s father is Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the world’s longest-reigning monarch and once the richest man on the planet.

The sultan’s palace has not yet unveiled the guest list for Sunday, but royals from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have previously joined royal wedding celebrations in the energy-rich nation.

Neighboring Malaysia’s Sultan Abdullah Shah has said he would be there.

It was unclear who would represent the royal family of Britain, Brunei’s former colonial ruler, after Kensington Palace said Prince William and his wife Catherine would not attend.

Mateen had accompanied his father to the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May last year, and Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have also confirmed their attendance.

‘Once-in-a-lifetime moment’

Sunday’s celebration is the highlight of 10 days of pomp and pageantry in the tiny country whose extreme wealth is derived almost entirely from its enormous oil and gas reserves.

Mateen, a British-trained military officer in Brunei’s armed forces and a helicopter pilot, will hold court with his wife at an elaborate ceremony at the sprawling Istana Nurul Iman palace, with guests in attendance.

Brunei’s information office said the couple “will be seated on a dais” in their full royal regalia.

The ceremony is steeped in tradition drawn from Brunei’s centuries-old history as an Islamic monarchy.

“Once seated, the ceremony is completed with a prayer read by designated religious officials,” the information office said.

The couple will then lead a grand parade that will weave through the capital where their images have been displayed on street arches and building facades for days.

Thousands of the sultan’s subjects are expected to line the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple.

“I’m very excited. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” said school teacher Norliha Mohamad Din, 37, who plans to be among the spectators.

“I have seen Prince Mateen since he was small. I’m very happy for him. This is one way of showing appreciation to the royal family.”

As the 10th child and fourth son of the sultan, Mateen is unlikely to ever ascend the throne.

But he appears to have taken on the unofficial role of presenting a modern face for the royal family in a bid to connect with a younger generation of Bruneians raised on social media.

Mateen’s matinee idol looks and well-chiseled body has earned him a massive following on Instagram where carefully curated photos and videos show him playing polo, dabbling in photography, and posing in military uniform.