Istana Nurul Iman, the majestic royal palace of Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, witnessed some lavish wedding festivities this month. The wedding of Princess Azemah and Prince Bahar concluded on January 15 with the final ceremony after a weeklong of celebrations. Princess Azemah is the fifth daughter of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Prince Bahar is the son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah, the Sultan’s brother.
The announcement of Princess Azemah’s wedding date was made in November. Several high-profile guests were expected at the event. The wedding rites began in the banquet hall of the Sultan’s official residence. Seven ceremonies took place at the royal residence in the days that followed. They included the tradition of exchanging gifts, a royal insignia, a three-day wedding ceremony, a dining reception, and a ceremonial close.
Prince Mateen, Princess Azemah’s younger brother, had been posting photos of the nuptials on social media. Among the photos he shared were from the Powdering Ceremony, which was held on January 11, and the final wedding rite on January 15. While captioning the photos on Instagram, he mentioned that he was extremely happy for his dearest big sister and BJB (Prince Bahar).
Among the esteemed guests in attendance was the Canadian High Commissioner to Brunei, Ambra Dickie. She was visibly amazed at the grandeur of the wedding and mentioned that it was the kind of event she had seen only on television and in the movies. The Thai Ambassador to Brunei, Boosara Kanchanalai, was also among the high-profile guests who witnessed the grand event.