From Brunei with Love: The royal romance of Prince Abdul Mateen and his commoner bride

Brunei’s royal wedding is the talk of the town. Prince Abdul Mateen, one of Asia’s “most eligible bachelors”, is now off the market. The 32-year-old prince of the oil-rich sultanate married his commoner (non-royal) fiancée Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah Isa-Kalebic, 29, Thursday (11 January) as part of a grandiose 10-day celebration that began on 7 January. The male-only Islamic marriage ceremony took place inside the gold-domed Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Let’s take a closer look at the royal couple and their love story. Who are Prince Abdul Mateen and Anisha Rosnah? Prince Abdul Mateen is the fourth son and 10th child of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, world’s longest-reigning monarch and one of richest royals globally with an estimated net worth of nearly $28 billion. The prince is a social media sensation with a massive following of 2.5 million on Instagram. Mateen is sixth in line to the throne which he is unlikely to ever ascend. He is a trained helicopter pilot and major in the Royal Brunei Air Force, as per UAE newspaper The National. He graduated as an officer cadet in Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, as per AFP. Prince Mateen has drawn comparisons with Britain’s Prince Harry and was previously dubbed the “hot royal”. He represented Brunei in polo at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, reported AFP. The young royal is often spotted with his father abroad on official royal engagements. Prince Mateen and the sultan of the Southeast Asia nation attended the coronation of Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla in London in May last year, and Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022. The duo also marked their presence in Jordan for the royal wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa, according to People magazine. [caption id=“attachment_13607102” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Prince Abdul Mateen walk outside Westminster Abbey ahead of Britain’s King Charles’ coronation ceremony, in London, Britain 6 May 2023. Reuters File Photo[/caption] Rosnah is the granddaughter of one of the Sultan’s special advisors, Pehin Dato Isa, who is the founding chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines, as per Time magazine. She reportedly runs a fashion brand called Silk Collective and is a co-owner of a tourism company called Authentirary. Rosnah has an interest in cooking, as per the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The royal love story Not much is known about the love story of the royal couple. It is believed the two have been dating for years. Their engagement was announced in October 2023 by the sultan. According to Singaporean online magazine 8Days, the couple enjoys working out. The pair were seen together at the wedding ceremonies of Mateen’s sisters Princess Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah last year and Princess Fadzilah in 2022, reported Time magazine. Asia’s ‘eligible bachelor’ is off the market Prince Mateen’s Instagram reflects the popularity of the young royal. From playing polo and posing in military uniform to flaunting his six-pack abs, the prince’s Insta account has turned him into a “public relations asset” for the Brunei royal family, according to AFP. A pre-wedding picture of Mateen and his then-fiancee, Rosnah, was shared on his Instagram account on 31 December. The bride can be seen donning a cream pantsuit and showing off a large diamond engagement ring. Her partner chose an open-neck white shirt under a dark, double-breasted blazer. “Prince Mateen would be what I describe as an important youth change-maker in Brunei society,” Mustafa Izzuddin, a visiting professor of international relations at the Islamic University of Indonesia, told AFP. “You can call him a cultural Instagrammer because he is adept at connecting with the younger folk,” he added. “The current generation has different interests, values and preferences.” Brunei royal wedding The all-male wedding ceremony on Thursday was attended by Prince Mateen’s father, Sultan Bolkiah, relatives, some ministers and government officials. Dressed in traditional white wedding attire embellished with diamond-shaped motifs and a matching headpiece, the prince affirmed Akad Nikah or marriage solemnisation, as per The National. After a 17-gun salute, Mateen went to his father and held his hand as the sultan recited a prayer for the royal couple, reported AFP. The prince then bowed and touched his father’s hand with his forehead. The prince left the mosque in a luxury saloon and waved to onlookers who were waiting to catch a glimpse of the groom. A powdering ceremony was held on Wednesday in which the close family members applied powder paste to the hands of the groom and bride-to-be.

Celebrations for the royal wedding will culminate with a grand ceremony in the 1,788-room palace on Sunday. International royalty, including Britain's Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa, along with political leaders are likely to attend the event, reported AFP.  Several Bruneians are expected to line the streets on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the newly-weds as they take part in an elaborate procession. With inputs from agencies