Brunei's Prince Abdul Mateen, once described as one of Asia's most eligible bachelors and dubbed the "hot royal", has tied the knot in a lavish 10-day affair.
The engagement of the 32-year-old son of one of the world's richest men to Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah was announced in October.
The 29-year-old is the granddaughter of one of the sultan of Brunei’s special advisers and is reported to own a fashion and tourism company.
The wedding kicked off on January 7 and celebrations reached a climax on Sunday with a glittering ceremony attended by government leaders and blue-blooded guests from Asia and the Middle East.
Prince Mateen wore a ceremonial uniform while his bride was in a long white dress and sparkling jewels for the event at the sprawling Istana Nurul Iman palace.
The newlyweds made their first public procession down the streets of Brunei's capital on the eighth day of the celebrations, waving to crowds who had flocked to the streets to get a rare glimpse of the royals.
There was a tiara, a white gown with silver diamonds, and free ice cream for the crowds watching the parade.
"It's like a fairytale," university student Syahida Wafa Mohamed Shah, 22, told AFP on Wednesday, near the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, where the marriage was solemnised.
The Islamic solemnisation ceremony was held inside the gold-domed mosque formalising Prince Mateen's marriage.
Prince Mateen, wearing a traditional white outfit decorated with diamond-shaped motifs and a matching headpiece, was driven to the mosque in a luxury saloon.
He sat on an elevated yellow cushion in front of an imam who presided over the male-only ceremony attended by the sultan and other relatives and guests.
The pomp and pageantry of the royal extravaganza highlight the tiny country's extreme wealth, which is almost entirely derived from its enormous oil reserves.
An absolute monarchy with strict Islamic laws and a population of about 450,000 people, Brunei is one of the world's richest countries.
By AFP/ABC
Original article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-15/prince-brunei-abdul-mateen-10-day-royal-wedding/103295296
