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Mateen, 32, was one among Asia’s most eligible bachelors till he married his 29-year-old fiancee on Thursday in a male-only ceremony at a mosque within the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
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Prince Mateen of Brunei and his fiancée Anisha Rosnah Isa-Kalebic. Picture from Prince Mateen’s fanpage’s Instagram |
Because the tenth baby and fourth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, he’s unlikely to ever ascend the throne of the oil-rich nation on the northern fringe of Borneo island.
But, Mateen’s matinee idol appears to be like, rippling six-pack and sense of journey — captured in pictures and movies which might be rigorously curated on Instagram — have turned him right into a public relations asset for the royal household, which has been battered by scandals and international censure over time.
“He is a breath of recent air,” mentioned Bruneian snack retailer employee Amyra Syahira Awang Ahmad, 20, who’s amongst Mateen’s 2.5 million Instagram followers.
A pre-wedding photograph of Mateen and his fiancee, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, posted on Instagram on December 31 exhibits him sporting an open-neck white shirt beneath a darkish, double-breasted blazer, whereas she is in a cream pantsuit and no hijab.
It drew greater than 11,000 feedback with some smitten followers lamenting that 2024 was beginning with “heartbreak” — a reference to their very own slightly than the prince’s.
The photograph seems to be a part of an effort to burnish a extra trendy picture of the conservative nation — and make the royal household related to a youthful era of Bruneians that has grown up on social media.
“Prince Mateen can be what I describe as an necessary youth change-maker in Brunei society,” mentioned Mustafa Izzuddin, a visiting professor of worldwide relations on the Islamic College of Indonesia.
“You possibly can name him a cultural Instagrammer as a result of he’s adept at connecting with the youthful people,” he informed AFP.
“The present era have completely different pursuits, values and preferences.”
Profitable hearts and minds
After greater than 5 many years on the throne, the 77-year-old sultan wanted to “refresh the social contract” between himself and his 450,000 topics, mentioned Izzuddin.
Absolutely the monarchy has seen its popularity tarnished in current many years.
Mateen, who typically accompanies his father on official visits overseas sporting Western-style fits, seems to be main the best way in profitable over younger hearts and minds.
His public profile has exploded on Instagram with posts exhibiting him taking part in polo, boxing in a hoop, dabbling in images, and posing in navy uniform.
One video exhibits the prince — who’s a helicopter pilot in his nation’s air pressure and in addition educated within the particular forces — flying in a F/A 18 Tremendous Hornet warplane.
It generated greater than 250,000 likes and a comparability to “High Gun” star Tom Cruise.
Different pictures of Mateen’s well-chiselled higher physique have drawn as many as greater than half one million likes — and numerous coronary heart and lovestruck emojis.
“Hello James Bond 007!” one admirer commented on a photograph of Mateen strolling bare-chested on a seashore, with a jet ski and speedboat seen within the background.
College pupil Nazatul Izzati Saifulrizal, 19, proudly confirmed AFP a selfie she took with the prince, who she described as down-to-earth.
“He requested me about my research… he requested about my household background,” she mentioned, including she felt “touched” by the gesture.