This Wednesday, July 15, the Sultan of Brunei celebrates his 80th birthday as one of the most fascinating figures in modern history. Crowned as the longest-reigning monarch after nearly 59 years on the throne, he is fiercely private, and the unbreakable secrecy that has defined his rule for almost six decades is one of his trademarks. Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah was enthroned on October 4, 1967, and since then has held all the power, as laid out in the constitution of the country located in the north of the island of Borneo.
© TENGKU BAHARThe document states that its highest representative “can never be wrong either as a private person or in his official capacity,” which all but shields the Sultan’s decisions from challenge. In addition to his royal duties, Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah simultaneously serves as Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and Finance Minister, and is also the head of the Islamic religion in Brunei.
© SOPA ImagesA large family
The House of Bolkiah is one of the richest and most powerful reigning dynasties in the world. The Sultan of Brunei also has an extremely large family, with 12 children, five sons and seven daughters, from his three marriages, though one has passed away. With his first wife, Saleha of Brunei, he shares his six eldest children, including Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, 52. Princesses Rashidah, Muta-Wakkilah, Majeedah Nuurul and Hafizah, as well as Prince Abdul Malik, are also from this marriage.
© ROSLAN RAHMANFrom his second marriage to Mariam binti Abdul Aziz (whom he divorced in 2003), he welcomed two princes, Abdul Azim and Abdul Mateen, one of the most admired by younger generations thanks to his undeniable charisma and countless official appearances at his father’s side, and two princesses, Azemah and Fadzillah. Finally, with Azrinaz Mazhar binti Hakim Mazhar (from whom he has been divorced since 2010), he has his two youngest children, Prince Abdul Wakeel and Princess Ameerah, who turned 18 on January 28.
Immeasurable wealth
The Sultan lives with his children at Istana Nurul Iman, the second-largest palace in the world; it covers 200,000 square meters and is surpassed only by Beijing’s Forbidden City, with its 720,000 square meters. This residence, the official home of the Royal Family, is larger than Vatican City and features gold-plated vaults, more than 18,000 rooms, and 290 bathrooms, among countless other halls and corners filled with priceless treasures. On its grounds, he also keeps his famed collection of luxury cars, more than 5,000 vehicles, making it one of the largest collections in existence today: Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys…he even owns seven of the 100 McLaren Formula 1 cars that were ever built.
His personal fortune is estimated to be close to 16 billion dollars, and his wealth comes mainly from oil and gas reserves as well as shrewd investments abroad. This virtually immeasurable fortune put him at the top of the rich list of the prestigious magazine Forbes for several years. He also owns six airplanes, two helicopters, and a Boeing 747, known as the Jumbo Jet because of its enormous size, completely customized for his private use: it has twin aisles, can carry more than 500 passengers, and until the arrival of the Airbus A380, it was the largest passenger aircraft in the world.
© Christopher FurlongHis lavish celebrations and parties are also part of the Sultan’s living legend, and he clearly enjoys these public occasions. In addition to his coronation and the festivities marking the 50th anniversary of his accession to the throne, one of the standouts was his 50th birthday, when he arranged a private concert by Michael Jackson — which he ultimately did not attend. Don’t miss the video to discover these and many more fascinating facts about the Sultan of Brunei!
