‘Asia’s most eligible bachelor’ marries a commoner at 10-day royal wedding
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Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen, dubbed ‘Asia’s most eligible bachelor’, has married a commoner in a fairy-tale 10-day royal wedding with 5,000 guests.
Well-wishers lined the streets of the tiny kingdom’s capital to catch a glimpse of the prince and his new wife Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah as they rode through Bandar Seri Begawan in an open-top Rolls-Royce on Sunday
Having trained in the RAF at Brize Norton, Prince Mateen has cultivated something of a James Bond-like image, posing in military fatigues with guns one minute and riding on a horse playing polo the next.
He is reportedly worth around $30 billion, has some 7,000 cars and a passion for exotic pets. In one photo, he can be seen kneeling next to a tiger, beneath which reads the caption: “Back home with my buddy.”
Prince Mateen had built an online persona followed by millions who would fawn over photos of him appearing muscle-bound and shirtless on a beach.
Many of his fans took to his Instagram to wryly express their delight at the happy day.
“The bride is absolutely stunning. Beautiful couple. RIP to all the girls who has crush on him. Wake up! Movies and reality are two different things,” wrote one.
Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, 29, comes from a more humble background though one not devoid of prestige. She is the granddaughter of an adviser to Brunei’s leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and is reported to own a fashion and tourism company, Silk Collective. She also studied at the University of Bath.
It’s not clear how she met the prince, though they are reported to have been dating for a number of years.
This week, the extravagant life she was marrying into was heralded by an occasion that spared no expense. A traditional powdering ceremony they attended on Wednesday began with a parade of 40 spear-carriers and the firing of 17 cannons. A lavish banquet is due to take place on Monday.
Unlike other countries in Southeast Asia, Brunei has enormous financial reserves and is less reliant on tourism. It is an absolute monarchy with strict Islamic laws and a population of only around 450,000 people. Brunei is one of the world’s richest countries.
Prince Mateen is the 10th child of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, though he is unlikely to ever ascend the throne because he holds no immediate claim to succession.
