Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei, celebrated for his handsome appearance and military service, has wedded his commoner fiancée in a lavish 10-day royal wedding, gaining admiration online.
The internet-famous prince disclosed his relationship and engagement to Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah in December.
The revelation came as a surprise to many fans of the man who was once hailed as one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors.
The bride is the granddaughter of an adviser to Brunei’s leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
She is reported to own a fashion and tourism company.
Prince Abdul Mateen, 32, was dressed in ceremonial uniform and his bride, 29, wore a long white dress and jewels for the ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman palace.
eNg5Bxbmobo6hRNmJe5cUbKzUtwpcyCfsf YTLzJlISOCAGQlkl1uMy7gdNsj0wgfm7kfX4hT4ozlpp2ugEF6q7HsdRP95GST67rm IaPPrince Abdul Mateen and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah greeted members of the public during their wedding procession in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital
The reported 5,000 wedding guests included royalty from Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and the leader of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The pair made their first public appearance as a married couple, waving at thousands of well-wishers from the back of an open-top Rolls Royce, as a lavish procession made its way through the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Schoolteacher Norliha Mohamad told AFP news agency the chance to glimpse the royal couple was a “once-in-a-lifetime moment”.
Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah announced their engagement late last year
Prince Mateen is a major presence on social media, with over 2.5m followers on Instagram and thousands more on TikTok.
There were sighs from some of his fans after he posted a picture of himself alongside his bride-to-be on New Year’s Eve.
“2024 starts with a heartbreak”, wrote one follower, with another jokingly calling him an “international heartbreaker”. Many others rejoiced at the news he was about to tie the knot.
Many of his other posts capture the prince at special functions or out exploring, attracting numerous heart emojis and compliments in the comments.
On Wednesday, local TV stations broadcast some of the wedding events in the small, oil-rich sultanate.
Prince Mateen is the 10th child of the Sultan, the world’s longest-reigning monarch and one of the richest.
Hc9aAD aCrzPlarObiA6d7vIOL W8oMQAUpFalQq eDC8XNupQR7ryoX0JyThe newly-wedded couple was greeted by guests and pageantry as they walked down the aisle at the reception in Istana Nurul Iman
The prince holds no immediate succession claim to the throne but his profile has risen tremendously.
Video edits of the prince at royal functions, playing in polo matches and being spotted in his army uniform abound online.
The wedding kicked off on 7 January and reached its height in Sunday’s large ceremony.
The Islamic marriage ceremony occurred on Wednesday formalising Prince Mateen’s marriage. It was only attended only by male members of the wedding party including the prince and his father.