Brunei’s Prince Abdul Mateen, who has won the hearts of millions online with his good looks and military service, has wedded his long-time partner in a 10-day royal extravaganza, BBC reports.
The popular social media star prince announced his relationship and engagement to Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah in December.
The news shocked many admirers of the man who was once considered one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors.
The bride is the granddaughter of a close aide to Brunei’s ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
She is said to run a fashion and travel business.
Prince Abdul Mateen, 32, wore a ceremonial uniform and his bride, 29, donned a long white gown and jewels for the ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman palace.
The wedding was attended by an estimated 5,000 guests, including members of the royal families of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The newlyweds made their debut as a married couple, waving to thousands of fans from the back of a Rolls Royce convertible as a lavish parade went through the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
Schoolteacher Norliha Mohamad told AFP news agency that seeing the royal couple was a “once-in-a-lifetime moment”.
Prince Mateen is a huge sensation on social media, with over 2.5 million followers on Instagram and thousands more on TikTok.
Some of his fans were in tears after he posted a picture of himself with his soon-to-be wife on New Year’s Eve.
“2024 starts with a broken heart,” commented one follower, while another humorously called him an “international heartbreaker”. Many others celebrated the news that he was getting married.
Many of his other posts show the prince at special events or on adventures, drawing countless heart emojis and compliments in the comments.
On Wednesday, local TV channels aired some of the wedding festivities in the small oil-rich kingdom.
Prince Mateen is the 10th child of the sultan, the world’s longest-serving monarch and one of the wealthiest.
The prince has no direct claim to the throne, but his fame has skyrocketed.
Videos of the prince at royal occasions, playing in polo games and wearing his military uniform are abundant online.
The wedding kicked off on 7 January and ended in a grand ceremony on Sunday.
The Islamic wedding ceremony took place on Wednesday, making Prince Mateen’s marriage official. It was only attended by male members of the wedding party, including the prince and his father.
On Wednesday, footage showed people lined the streets of the capital as a convoy of royal cars brought the sultan and Prince Mateen to the solemnisation inside a gold-domed mosque.
Prince Mateen sported traditional white clothing and a hairstyle that had a diamond-shaped pattern. After receiving the feast from an imam, he bowed and paid his respects to his father.
