Bandar Seri Begawan:

Brunei’s polo-playing Prince Abdul Mateen, certainly one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors, is ready to marry his commoner fiancee on Thursday as a part of a lavish 10-day celebration within the oil-rich sultanate.

An Islamic bridal ceremony for the 32-year-old prince and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, 29, might be held inside a gold-domed mosque within the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

Mateen is the tenth youngster of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah — the world’s longest reigning monarch and as soon as the richest man on the planet — and is properly down the succession pecking order.

His bride — the granddaughter of certainly one of his father’s key advisers — reportedly has a style model and co-owns a tourism enterprise.

Celebrations for the royal wedding ceremony attain their climax on Sunday with a glittering ceremony within the 1,788-room palace and an elaborate procession.

The visitor listing is anticipated to incorporate worldwide royalty and political leaders.

“It is like a fairytale,” college pupil Syahida Wafa Mohamed Shah, 22, advised AFP on Wednesday, close to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the place the wedding might be solemnised.

Many Bruneians plan to line the streets for Sunday’s procession when the couple will cross by in a royal carriage.

“It is like one thing from a film,” stated Nazatul Izzati Saifulrizal, 19.

Excessive wealth

The pomp and pageantry of the royal extravaganza highlights the tiny nation’s excessive wealth, which is sort of fully derived from its monumental oil reserves.

A sliver of land on the northern fringe of Borneo island in Southeast Asia, Brunei was influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism earlier than its rulers transformed to Islam within the 14th century.

It fell below British rule within the nineteenth century and gained independence in 1984.

An absolute monarchy with strict Islamic legal guidelines and a inhabitants of solely round 450,000 folks, Brunei is likely one of the world’s richest nations.

Its annual GDP per capita is sort of $36,000, based on the Worldwide Financial Fund. Nevertheless, analysts have warned that Brunei faces critical challenges to diversify its financial system away from oil as crude costs stay risky and its reserves dwindle.

Whereas the sultan has lengthy misplaced the title of the world’s richest man to tech billionaires, his wealth stays the stuff of legend.

He’s reported to have an unlimited assortment of luxurious automobiles and his riverside official residence is likely one of the world’s largest palaces.

‘Scorching royal’

Whereas Mateen is unlikely to ever ascend the throne, his matinee idol appears to be like and large following on social media have made him one of many highest-profile members of the royal household.

A helicopter pilot in his nation’s air drive, he has typically been in contrast within the media with Britain’s Prince Harry and was beforehand dubbed the “scorching royal”.

Mateen graduated as an officer cadet in Britain’s Royal Navy Academy Sandhurst and represented his nation in polo on the 2019 Southeast Asian Video games.

Lately, he has performed a rising position in worldwide diplomacy.

The prince accompanied his father to the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in Might final 12 months, and Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
 

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