Jaw-dropping tiaras, a princess bride, an opulent gold palace and diamonds so big they could be mistaken for ice rinks. It can only mean one thing: the first royal wedding of the year is here.
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The Sultan of Brunei, one of the world’s richest men, spared no expense when it came to the nuptials of his daughter, the beautiful Princess 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah of Brunei, who tied the knot with her first cousin, Prince Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei, earlier this month at the Istana Nurul Iman, the sultan’s opulent official residence, just outside the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan.
Princess 'Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah, 38, is the eighth child of the sultan by his former second wife, Hajah Mariam. An accomplished athlete, the princess plays competitive polo and has campaigned for greater gender equality in sport. Little is known about the dashing groom, other than he is the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei, the sultan’s elder brother.
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The week-long celebration featured a number of events, including a traditional ‘powdering’ ceremony, an Islamic marriage and a glittering reception.
Photos shared from the royal wedding on Instagram reveal the princess’s spectacular bridal ensembles, including an ivory crystal embellished gown with matching veil. A second outfit, in charcoal grey, was accessorised with an impressive diamond necklace featuring three teardrop stones as the centrepiece. Among the tiaras worn by the princess was the spectacular Diamond Heart Tiara belonging to her step-mother, Queen Saleha, according to The Royal Watcher.
Among the guests was the Sultan of Brunei’s fourth son, Prince Mateen, who is regularly voted among the world’s most eligible royals. The ex-SOAS student and polo player has amassed 2.1 million followers on Instagram, where he shares snaps of royal engagements, polo matches – and holidays on the Amalfi Coast. ‘So happy for my dearest big sister and BJB,’ he wrote, sharing wedding photos with his fans.
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Another of her brothers, Prince Azim, tragically died in 2020 of an unknown illness. He was known for being an international jet-setter, regularly photographed partying with the likes of Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.
It comes just a year after the bride’s sister, Princess Fadzillah, wed Awang Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi.
