Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja, or the royal wedding reception, for His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha Rosnah binti Adam, took place amid pomp and pageantry, steeped in royal traditions, at the lavishly-decorated Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana of Istana Nurul Iman yesterday.
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam graced the ceremony.
Accompanying Their Majesties were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince, and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel.
Also in attendance were His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.
Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah and Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah also graced the ceremony.
Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Nor’ain, Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam and Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Nasibah also attended.
Among the thousands of guests attending yesterday’s glittering ceremony marking the climax of more than a week of royal wedding ceremonies were invited guests from abroad comprising regional and international leaders.
Special guests of His Majesty include His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah and Her Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Al-Marhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj; King of Bhutan His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck; Indonesian President Dato Laila Utama Joko Widodo; Filipino President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr and Louise Araneta-Marcos; Singaporean Prime Minister Dato Laila Utama Lee Hsien Loong and Datin Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Ho Ching and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Dr Wan Ismail.
Also present were His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah of Pahang; Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Idris Iskandar Al-Haj Tunku Temenggong of Johor; Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Arif Temenggong Tengku Fahd Mua’adzam of Pahang; Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah of Johor and Dato’ Dennis Muhammad; Her Royal Highness Princess Noor bint Asem of Jordan and Amr Zedan; Her Highness Princess Munira Al-Saud binti Mohammed Al-Thunayan and His Royal Highness Prince Mamdouh bin Abdulrahman bin Saud of Saudi Arabia and His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al-Nuaimi of United Arab Emirates.
As part of the ceremonial proceedings, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris that the ceremony was ready to begin, who then informed His Majesty before the monarch consented to the commencement of Majlis Istiadat Bersanding Pengantin Diraja.
Spouse of Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, along with spouses of Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Basit, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Negara Pengiran Anak Haji Puteh and Pehin Orang Kaya Maharaja Diraja Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Wahab as the royal bride entourage then ‘menjunjung anugeraha’ one by one to His Majesty before leaving the hall to take the royal bride for the wedding reception.
This was followed by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim, Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham, Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Basit and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Negara Pengiran Anak Haji Puteh ‘menjunjung anugeraha’ one by one to His Majesty and standing in line accordingly.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris then sought consent from His Majesty for His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah to ‘menjunjung’ and ‘mengapit’ the royal groom after which His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah ‘menjunjung anugeraha’ to His Majesty before leaving the ceremonial hall.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah then departed from the hall, followed by the entourage in waiting to take the royal groom.
Sporting a tiara over a white veil and wedding dress while clutching a bouquet adorned with precious stones, the royal bride was escorted into Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana flanked by spouse of Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin and the royal bride entourage as well as Pehin Jawatan Bini Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Siti, accompanied by Juru Bini Dayang Hajah Rokiah.
The royal bride entourage was accompanied by one Pengiran Perempuan Berbaju Gadong and one Dayang-Dayang carrying kaskol langguai, seven Pahawai Perempuan each carrying one puan, one tarian, one kabok and panastan, one kiap, one chupu, one pasigupan and one kaskol along with dian 16 carried by 16 Dayang-Dayang.
Upon reaching the royal dais, the royal bride, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha Rosnah, was taken to her seat.
The ceremony then proceeded with the arrival of royal groom His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen, flanked by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and accompanied by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim as well as an entourage.
Leading the royal groom were 40 sinipit carried by Awang-Awang, followed with four dian bunga, two Hulubalang, Hulubalang Diraja carrying pemuras and karga, and Hulubalang Asgar carrying kelasak and kampilan, one dian tunggal carried by Awang-Awang walking ahead of His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen and accompanied by two Pahawai Lelaki children – one carrying kiap and one carrying pasigupan – followed by Pehin Penyurat
Awang Maidin and Pehin Penyurat Haji Awang Osman along with Perhiasan Empat of His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen carried by four Pembawa Perhiasan Empat, one carrying payung, one carrying pedang and perisai, one carrying tumbak benderangan and one carrying kaskol – walking behind the royal groom followed by one Pengiran Perempuan Berbaju Gadong and one Dayang-Dayang carrying kaskol langguai, seven Pahawai Lelaki carrying one puan, one tarian, one kabok and panastan, one kiap, one chupu, one pasigupan and one kaskol, dian 16 carried by 16 Awang-Awang as well as royal regalia comprising of 16 pedang and perisai, 16 tumbak benderangan and eight kabok and panastan carried by Awang-Awang.
Dressed in a royal ceremonial outfit, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen made a grand entrance into Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana, flanked by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, where at the main door, the royal groom was escorted by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz and accompanied by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim along with the entourage.
His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen was led to the royal dais by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz after which His Majesty placed the royal groom‘s right hand on the head of royal bride in a ritual called Menapak Tangan to signify the royal couple’s matrimony.
Following this, the Selawat for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was recited by the State Mufti as the royal groom took his place next to the royal bride, accompanied by 17-cannon fire shots echoed outside Istana Nurul Iman to mark the occasion.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris then delivered the bestowment by His Majesty to Yang Mulia Dayang Anisha Rosnah with Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Anisha Rosnah binti Adam.
This was followed by the recitation of Doa Selamat by the State Mufti. His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik then ‘menjunjung anugeraha’ to accompany the royal newly-weds to depart from the ceremony.
Their Majesties then received a Junjung Ziarah from the royal couple.
Also receiving the Junjung Ziarah were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah followed with the mother of the royal groom, Datin Paduka Seri Dayang Hajah Mariam binti Haji Abdul Aziz, and then to parents of the royal bride, Awang Adam bin Abdullah and Dayang Siti Mariam binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa.
The royal couple then made their way out, flanked by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik.
After the ceremony, the Royal Procession began. – Lyna Mohamad
