Meet Brunei’s crazy rich royal siblings: Princess Fadzilah is sister to dashing SEA Games star Mateen, polo playing Azemah and the late Prince Azim
As Princess Fadzilah’s 10 day-long marriage rites continue, the world has their eyes set on Brunei’s royal brood.
They are, after all, children of mega-rich Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has a reported net worth of US$28 billion.
We’ve come to know of the sporty Princess Fadzilah’s netball playing skills and her “heart of gold”, now let’s take a closer look at her three siblings and the many interesting titbits about them.
Prince Mateen
Tall, dark, and handsome, 30-year-old Prince Mateen has charmed many with his movie star looks and down-to-earth ways. He described himself as “funny, weird but in a good way, sweet and simple”, in an interview with GQ Thailand in 2016.
While the prince might stand out for his looks, he has tried his hand at several fields – always passing with flying colours.
In 2010 the prince began his military training as a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK. Only 18, he was subjected to gruelling conditions, challenging both mind and body, and graduated a year later. He told GQ how the experience remained the one that he’s most proud of.
Mateen eventually took up a politics degree at King’s College London and later obtained a master’s degree at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Taking after his aviator father, the prince, according to Brunei-based website The Scoop, is only the second Brunei royal to become a licensed helicopter pilot.
He completed his training at the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury in 2018, aged 26. The sultan is said to fly himself to important regional meetings to meet with other heads of state.
A keen sportsman, Mateen is adept at playing polo, often known as the “sport of kings”, and he represented Brunei at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in both 2017 and 2019.
His Instagram reveals a wide array of interests: boxing, football, golf and martial arts, among other sports, alongside wild animals and fast cars. He can often be spotted at the annual Singapore Formula One Night Race, the Lion City’s after-hours event of the year, according to the Vietnam Times.
The same report revealed his eye for style, as the prince is known for his penchant for wearing three-piece Savile Row suits. His wardrobe is said to be filled with “quality British tailoring”– the perfect fit for a dapper royal.
Mateen confessed himself to be a family man in his GQ interview and said he was very close to his siblings: the late Prince Azim – nicknamed “the party-loving prince” – and his two sisters, Princesses Azemah and Fadzilah.
Princess Azemah
Princess Azemah is known for her intelligence – and rightly so.
The 37-year-old princess has a list of impressive achievements to date, including a law degree from the UK’s University of Warwick, in 2008, and a master’s degree in Global Media and Postnational Communication from the University of London in 2011.
Not done studying, she then earned a master’s Geopolitics, Territory and Security at King’s College London in 2014.
And if that wasn’t enough, the princess is also a stand-out polo player.
She has played alongside her brother and other members of the royal family, and also represented Brunei at the SEA games, too.
In an interview with the Culture Trip website in 2018, the princess noted that polo remained a male-dominated field in her country and that she hoped to change this and see more female players on the field.
Prince Azim
The late Prince Azim was a Hollywood darling who used his influence to promote awareness for various different causes he was passionate about, such as autism.
He “partied with the stars” and the list included Michael and Janet Jackson, as well as Pamela Anderson. Celebrating his 30th birthday in 2012, the prince was spotted with Faye Dunaway, Mariah Carey and Jerry Hall among others.
He’s also been photographed alongside A-list actresses Mischa Barton and Scarlett Johansson. According to British tabloids, the prince was known for the lavish parties he threw and his generous gifts to dear friends.
The prince passed away in 2020, aged 38, after a battle with illness.
A documentary chronicling his life, Prince Azim: Son of the Arts, was released last July.
