Following the high-profile wedding of Prince Mateen of Brunei and Dayang Anisha Rosnah Adam (Anisha Isa-Kalebic), many began fantasising about what it’s like to marry into a royal family but it’s not all glitz and glamour.
While the extravagance of the January wedding was mainly the talk of the town, Prince Mateen’s wedding also brought up the story about the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his marriages – most notably, his marriage to Malaysian Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim. Azrinaz, known more familiarly as Naz Mazhar, is a writer and former television journalist who worked with TV3.
Unsurprisingly, the news of the 2005 marriage came as a shock to many. The then 58-year-old Sultan Hassanal and then 26-year-old Azrinaz wedded at a private ceremony attended by family members and close friends at the Istana Sultan Brunei in Kuala Lumpur. The former journalist was awarded the title Pengiran Isteri (Princess Consort) following the marriage. A year into the marriage, Azrinaz gave birth to Prince Abdul Wakeel on 1st June 2006. The pregnancy itself was also kept a secret but a 21-cannon salute was fired to celebrate the birth. The pair welcomed their second child, Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah, on 28th January 2008.
Sultan Hassanal and Azrinaz’s marriage lasted only five years as the Sultan announced their divorce on 16th June 2010 through state television. Sultan Hassanal did not provide other details about the divorce but rumours of the royal break-up had been circulating amongst the locals. The divorce also brought up the topic of the politics and complexity of royal marriages.
Following the divorce, Azrinaz had all her royal titles withdrawn and she returned to Malaysia to resume her career. Her children remained in Brunei and it is believed that Prince Abdul Wakeel and Princess Ameerah haven’t met their mother in person since 2010. However, Azrinaz has shared videos and photos of the two on her social media accounts. She also voiced her sadness about not being able to meet her children, perhaps due to royal protocol.
Eight years after the divorce, Azrinaz remarried in 2018 to Fairos Khan Abdul Hamid in a private ceremony. The couple have two children together, Areesya Malaykha and Atheera Medinah.
Sources: Instagram, Malaysia Kini
