Sultan of Brunei’s netball-playing daughter is married

The Sultan of Brunei’s daughter tied the knot in a lavish week-long event that culminated yesterday in an opulent ceremony at the royal palace.

Princess Fadzillah Lubabul, 36, the daughter of billionaire Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 75, one of the world’s richest men, and his second wife Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former flight attendant, married Awang Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi in suitably spectacular fashion.  

Kingston University graduate Princess Fadzillah, the ninth of the sultan’s 12 children, is captain of the Brunei national netball team and healthcare campaigner who stays largely out of the spotlight.

The same is true of her mysterious new husband, who is described by one local tabloid as a ‘handsome foreigner’, but has otherwise remained a private figure. 

The bride and groom, pictured centre in their wedding finery, were joined by the Sultan (second from left) and his first wife, Queen Saleha (in blue) at their wedding yesterday

The bride and groom looked exquisite in matching white and silver brocade ensembles, embellished with diamonds. Pictured, with the bride’s brother Prince Mateen

Their engagement was announced in a statement from the palace on December 31. 

The wedding festivities kicked off on January 16 with a ceremony in which the sultan formally gave his blessing to the couple. The religious portion of the marriage took place last Thursday. 

The ceremony, held at the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, saw the groom pronounce his vows in front of an all-male group of attendees, including the Sultan, who acted as his daughter’s representative at the wedding. The ceremony was marked with a 17-gun salute.   

Yesterday the celebrations continued with the Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja ceremony in a grand gold-plated hall at the royal palace.

The bride was supported at the ceremony by her parents and her brother Prince Mateen, 30, a soldier and social media star with more than 2million Instagram followers. 

They also have a sister, Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, 37, and brother Prince Azim, who died in 2020 aged 38. 

Princess Fadzillah studied at Kingston University, graduating in 2008 with a degree in international studies. In 2015, the princess earned her master’s degree in business administration from the Hult International Business School.   

The wedding festivities kicked off on January 16 with a ceremony in which the sultan formally gave his blessing to the couple. It was followed by the Powder Party, above

The religious portion of the marriage took place last Thursday. The ceremony, held at the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, saw the groom (above) pronounce his vows in front of all-male attendees, including the Sultan, who acted as his daughter’s representative at the wedding

She has made a name for herself as captain of the national netball team, leading Brunei in international competitions. She has also campaigned for greater healthcare and takes part in charity polo matches.  

The bride and groom looked exquisite in matching white and silver brocade ensembles, embellished with diamonds. 

The bride covered her hair in a piece of delicate white lace, topped with a glittering tiara. 

Prince Mateen celebrated his sister’s wedding on Instagram, writing: ‘Congratulations to the newlyweds. I’m so happy for the both of you. Big love to my beautiful sister.’

The sultan of Brunei, who has an estimated net worth of $20billion, is also the country’s Prime Minister, giving him complete control of how the country is won. 

He ascended the throne in 1967 on the abdication of his father, Sultan Sir Haji Omar Ali Saifuddin, and married his first wife, Queen Saleha, that same year. 

The couple, who share six children, including Al-Muhtadee Billah, remain married, although the sultan has married and divorced two other women in the intervening years.

Newlywed Princess Fadzillah is the product of his marriage to his second wife, Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former flight attendant of Bruneian, Japanese and Scottish decent. 

Yesterday the celebrations continued with the Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja ceremony in a grand gold-plated hall at the royal palace. Pictured, the bride greeting the sultan

The bride, pictured greeting a member of the royal family, looked beautiful in white yesterday

The bride and groom greeting the Sultan and his first wife. He has married and divorced two other women, including the mother of the bride, during the course of their marriage

The couple were married in 1982 and divorced in 2003. In 2020, they came together to mourn the loss of their son, Prince Azim, who died in the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan after being hospitalised for an unknown illness. 

Known as a member of the international jet-set, Azim was often pictured rubbing shoulders with celebrities at lavish parties in Europe and the US.

Fantastically wealthy, Azim’s net worth was estimated to be $5billion at the time of his death, according to Media, Entertainment and Arts Worldwide.

Michael Jackson, Pamela Anderson and Joan Collins were all photographed alongside the prince over the years, including at his 30th birthday bash.

Other celebrity pals included Mischa Barton and Scarlett Johansson.

The bride was supported at the ceremony by her parents and her brother Prince Mateen, 30, a soldier and social media star with more than 2million Instagram followers. Pictured, Prince Mateen in an Instagram snap

Their older brother Prince Azim, the 38-year-old son of the Sultan of Brunei (pictured with Mischa Barton, left, and Scarlett Johansson, right) died in 2020 at the age of 38

Azim also formed a friendship with the late reality TV star Jade Goody, who once described him as a ‘brilliant mate’, after he watched her on Celebrity Big Brother.

The pair were pictured out partying together in 2007. ‘He wanted to meet me, we met and got on like a house on fire,’ Jade said at the time.

Azim also hosted parties attended by a number of gay and transgender rights advocates, including the likes of Caitlyn Jenner, Mariah Carey and skier Gus Kenworthy.

Azim’s open support for the LGBT community led to rumours that he was also gay, though he never openly discussed his sexuality.

His stance drew particular attention in 2019, when his father Hassanal Bolkiah announced a new law that could have seen gay people stoned to death.

The rule outlawed gay sex, which had to be independently witnessed in order to secure a conviction.

Bolkiah said at the time that the law was part of a drive for ‘stronger’ Islamic teachings in his tiny Australasian nation, located on the island of Borneo.

But following international outcry, Bolkiah ruled that a moratorium on the death penalty in Brunei should be extended to the new law.

It means that, while the penalty for gay sex is still officially death by stoning, the Sultan has agreed not to use it. Brunei has not hosted a public execution since 1957.