Sultan of Brunei’s son Prince Abdul Malik gets married in a sea of gold

Sultan of Brunei’s son Prince Abdul Malik gets married in a sea of gold

Mangalore Today News Network

Brunei, Apr 14, 2015: The son of the Sultan of Brunei, one of the world’s richest men, has wed bride Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah in a spectacular ceremony at the monarch’s 1,788-room palace in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The enthronement ceremony of Prince Abdul Malik, 31, and Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, 22, took place in the lavish settings of 1,788-room palace, Istana Nural Iman in Brunei

The happy couple: The bride clutches a bouquet of crystal flowers, and sports a breathtaking three-piece jewellery set, with sizable emeralds

Prince Abdul Malik, 31, exchanged vows with Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, 22, in front of crowds of friends and family, nobility and foreign dignitaries amid mind-boggling splendour.

The newlyweds’ matching gold outfits were both embellished with diamonds, while blushing bride Raabi’atul carried a bouquet made of dazzling gems, rather than flowers.

Prince Abdul Malik (pictured left) prays with bride, Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah. Malik is the son of the Sultan of Brunei, one of the wealthiest men in the world



Everyone in the room is seen praying during the ceremony of the Prince and his new bride

 

The bride’s Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, 22, has her veil adjusted as she shows off her diamond and emerald tiara, necklace, brooch, bracelet and ring - as well as the delicate posy made of gems 

 

The Prince is the youngest child of the Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, and his wife, Queen Saleha, and is second in the line of succession to become the next Sultan of Brunei.

Today’s ’bersanding’ or enthronement ceremony is usually the highlight of the wedding festivities, and saw the bride and groom seated next to each other, dressed in opulent traditional attire on gilded thrones in the Throne Chamber of the Istana Nural Iman palace. 

According to The Brunei Times, also in attendance were seven Malaysian state rulers and the governor of Saudi Arabia, and this is the first time that the couple have appeared together since the festivities started on 5 April.



Shoes fit for a princess: The bride wore jewel-encrusted Christian Louboutin heels, as well as a chunky pure gold anklet



The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, was seen in traditional dress at the wedding ceremony of his son


The couple wore matching traditional Malay dress, with the bride’s veil constructed of swathes of intricate lace.

The 22-year-old bride, who worked as a systems data analyst and IT instructor, sported a breathtaking diamond tiara studded with six teardrop-shaped emeralds.

A diamond necklace with a central pendant of three emeralds the size of grapes, glittered around her neck, while a matching brooch of two egg-shaped emeralds dangled from a diamond setting.



Royal guards stood in large numbers in the Throne Hall, carrying ceremonial shields and spears

 

In attendance were also Ragad Kurdi Taib, wife of Sarawak’s former Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud (pictured left), and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdul Aziz (pictured right)

Dayangku Raabi’atul ’Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah also toted Christian Louboutin heels encrusted Swarovski crystals, with the distinctive red sole, as well as a chunky gold anklet.

The newlyweds sat side by side praying during a section of the ceremony, and at one point, the Sultan was seen caressing the arms of his son’s hand while the blessing of his new wife occurred.

The Sultan has 12 children - five sons and seven daughters - from three different marriages. Prince Abdul Malik is the sixth child of the Sultan and his current wife, Queen Saleha, who wed in 1965.

Part of the ceremony also saw royal guards entering the hall carrying ceremonial shields and spears.

After the ceremony, there is expected to be a luxurious banquet in the palace’s hall, which can accommodate up to 5,000 guests.

The wedding is taking place over a period of 11 days, and started on Sunday, 5 April, with the royal marriage proposal ceremony.

During this time, a representative of the groom approached the bride’s family with the groom’s intention of seeking the bride’s hand in marriage.

This signalled the beginning of the ceremonial events, and has been followed by a ’powdering’ ceremony - when members of the families from both sides anoint the couple with powder and scented oil on the palms of their hand - and a gifting ceremony.



Friends and family, people of nobility and international dignitaries attended the ceremony, as the couple sat beneath in their gilded thrones



The Sultan of Brunei was seen caressing his son’s hand while the blessing of the bride took place


The celebration will end on 15 April, with a ceremony of thanksgiving prayers. 

The location of the wedding, the dazzling Istana Nural Iman palace is situated in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

It is considered the largest residential palace in the world, with 1,788 rooms, five grand swimming pools, 257 bathrooms, and a 110-car garage.

Later Brunei’s newlywed royal couple, changed into more opulent evening outfits for the wedding banquet. Prince Abdul swapped his gold wedding suit for ceremonial military dress, embellished with diamond epaulettes and collar.

The newest member of the royal family changed into a beaded purple floor-length gown embroidered with silver thread for the wedding banquet.



The pair are sat in all their luxurious finery at the wedding ceremony, which took place at the Sultan of Brunei’s Istana Nural Iman palace

 

Prince Abdul changed out of his gold wedding suit into ceremonial military dress, embellished with diamond epaulettes and collar. His new wife dazzled in a diamond and ruby crown, a matching necklace, a brooch, which was partly hidden by her diaphanous veil and a huge diamond ring in a platinum setting worn on her right hand.

She added a diaphanous veil, which was topped with another stunning diamond tiara, set with rubies and a scarlet gem at its centre the size of a 20-pence piece.

A matching necklace featuring a twisted diamond and ruby rope design glittered with tens of rubies, while a huge diamond and ruby brooch was party hidden by her veil.

On her right hand was a large diamond ring in a platinum setting. She also changed her make-up, sporting red lipstick rather than the bridal pink at today’s ceremony.

 

Courtesy: London Mirror