The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, has 12 children with his three wives. He married his first cousin and first wife, Pengiran Anak Saleha, in 1965. As polygamy is legal in Brunei, Saleha remained his Queen Consort despite the Sultan marrying and divorcing two other women: an air hostess and a TV anchor. The Sultan's eldest son is Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, who is first in line to the throne.
Characteristics | Values | |
---|---|---|
--- | --- | --- |
Name | Hassanal Bolkiah | |
Age | 77 | |
Title | Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam | |
Year of Ascension | 1967 | |
Age of Ascension | 21 | |
Number of Children | 12 | |
Number of Wives | 3 | |
Current Wife | Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha |
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The king of Brunei has 12 children
The king of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has 12 children. He has five sons and seven daughters with his three wives.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah became king in 1967 when his father, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, abdicated the throne. He married his first wife, his cousin Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, in 1965. As polygamy is legal in Brunei, he has since married and divorced two other women: an air hostess and a TV anchor.
The Sultan's eldest son, Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, was born in 1974 to his first wife. The Sultan's second son, Prince Abdul Azim, was born in 1982 to his second wife, Mariam Abdul Aziz. The Sultan's third son, Prince Abdul Malik, was born in 1983 to his first wife. The Sultan's fourth son, Prince Abdul Mateen, was born in 1991 to his second wife. The Sultan's fifth son, Prince Abdul Wakeel, was born in 2006 to his third wife, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim. The Sultan also has seven daughters: Princess Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah, Princess Raheemah Sanaul Bolkiah, Princess Hariisah Widadul Bolqiah, Princess Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, Princess Faathimah Az-Zahraa Raihaanul Bolkiah, Princess Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah, and Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah.
The Sultan's lavish lifestyle has been well-documented, and he is known for his extravagant spending. He is reported to have paid Michael Jackson $25.8 million to perform at three concerts as part of his 50th birthday celebrations in 1996. He also owns a $5 billion car collection, which includes 500 Rolls-Royce and 300 Ferraris.
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The king's name is Hassanal Bolkiah
The king of Brunei is named Hassanal Bolkiah. He was born on July 15, 1946, and became the Sultan of Brunei in 1967 at the young age of 21. He is the 29th Sultan of Brunei and is one of the few remaining absolute monarchs in the world.
Hassanal Bolkiah is the son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and has three brothers and six sisters. He was educated privately and later attended the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. He became the Crown Prince in 1961 and succeeded his father as Sultan in 1967, after his father's abdication.
As the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah is the monarchical head of state and also serves as the prime minister of the country. He is one of the wealthiest royals in the world, with a net worth of $30 billion. His sources of wealth include oil reserves and natural gas. He is known for his extravagant lifestyle, which includes a vast car collection with 500 Rolls-Royces and 300 Ferraris, as well as private jets.
Hassanal Bolkiah has been married three times. He first married his cousin, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, in 1965. He later married two other women, an air hostess and a TV anchor, but divorced them in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Polygamy is legal in Brunei, so his first wife remains his Queen Consort. In total, he has twelve children, five sons, and seven daughters.
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He has three wives
The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, has three wives. He married his first wife and cousin, Pengiran Anak Saleha, in 1965. As polygamy is legal in Brunei, Saleha remained his Queen Consort despite the Sultan marrying and divorcing two other women. His second wife, married in 1981, was Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former flight attendant for Royal Brunei Airlines. His third wife, married in 2005, was Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim, a former Malaysian TV3 anchor. The Sultan divorced his second wife in 2003 and his third wife in 2010.
As of 2012, the Sultan has five sons and seven daughters with his three wives. The children are spread across the three marriages. Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Sultan's heir, is the eldest son of the Sultan and his first wife. The Sultan's second-born son, Prince Abdul Azim, is known for his lavish parties attended by celebrities. The Sultan's third-born son, Prince Abdul Malik, had a wedding described by Forbes as "a royal wedding to beat all royal weddings". The Sultan's sixth son, Prince Abdul Wakeel, is the eldest son of the Sultan and his third wife.
The Sultan's brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah, has three wives and eighteen children.
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He became king at 21
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei became king at the young age of 21. Born on July 15, 1946, he ascended the throne on October 4, 1967, after his father, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, abdicated.
Hassanal Bolkiah was educated privately and later attended the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. He became the Crown Prince of Brunei at the age of 15, on July 14, 1961.
Upon becoming king, Hassanal Bolkiah returned to Brunei before finishing his studies to assume the leadership of the country's government and people. He was officially crowned on August 1, 1968, in a grand ceremony that included a 21-gun salute and a procession through the capital in a royal chariot.
As the new Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah inherited a vast fortune. With a net worth of $30 billion, he is one of the world's wealthiest royals. His wealth is derived primarily from oil reserves and natural gas, and he is known for his extravagant lifestyle, including a $5 billion car collection and private jets.
In addition to being the monarch, Hassanal Bolkiah also holds several other positions, including Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Superintendent of Police, Defence Minister, and Commander of the Armed Forces. He is one of the few remaining absolute monarchs in the world.
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He is one of the world's richest people
The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world's richest people. As of 2023, he is said to have a net worth of $30 billion, with his wealth coming primarily from oil reserves and natural gas. Brunei's crude oil and natural gas exports have made him one of the world's wealthiest royals. Forbes even ranked him as the world's richest man in 1988.
The 77-year-old Sultan's extravagant lifestyle is well-known. He is reported to have spent $25.8 million on a special concert by Michael Jackson, who performed at three concerts as part of his 50th birthday celebrations in 1996. He also owns a vast car collection, said to be worth over $5 billion, which includes 500 Rolls-Royce and 300 Ferraris. He also has several private jets equipped with luxury facilities, including a Boeing 747-400 Jet plated with gold.
His private residence, the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, is worth over Rs 2550 crores and boasts over 1700 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and five swimming pools. It also has air-conditioned stables for 200 horses. The Sultan is also known for his penchant for excess, regularly flying his favourite barber from London first-class, at a cost of about $12,000, for a $20,000 haircut.
The Sultan's wealth is not limited to material possessions. He is also the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Superintendent of Police, Defence Minister, and Commander of the Armed Forces of Brunei. He has held office as the head of state for longer than anyone else in history and is the world's longest-reigning current monarch.
The Sultan's three wives and twelve children also live lavishly. His three weddings were extravagant affairs, and his children's weddings have been similarly opulent. When his heir and next in line to the throne, Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, married in 2004, American singer Whitney Houston was reportedly paid $10.1 million to perform at the reception.
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