Hassanal Bolkiah
Encyclopedia
General Haji Sir Hassan al-Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah GCB
GCMG
(born 15 July 1946) is the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan
of Brunei Darussalam, the 29th Sultan
of Brunei
and the first Prime Minister of Brunei Darussalam. He is the eldest son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Pengiran Anak Damit.
Under Brunei's 1959 constitution
, the Sultan is the head of state
with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. On 9 March 2006, the Sultan was reported to have changed Brunei's constitution to make himself infallible under Bruneian law. Bolkiah is also the Prime Minister
as well as holding the portfolios of Minister of Defence and Finance
.
As Minister of Defence he is also the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces; an Honorary General in the British and Indonesian armed forces and an Honorary Admiral of the Fleet in the British Navy. He appointed himself as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Royal Brunei Police Force.
He addressed the United Nations General Assembly
on Brunei Darussalam's admission to the United Nations
in September, 1984. In 1991, he introduced a conservative ideology to Brunei called Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) (or Malay
Islamic Monarchy
), which presents the monarchy as the defender of the faith. He has recently favoured Brunei government democratisation and declared himself Prime Minister and President. In 2004, the Legislative Council, which had been dissolved since 1962, was reopened.
His designated successor is his eldest son, Al-Muhtadee Billah.
). He became crown prince
in 1961 and sultan
on 5 October 1967, after his father abdicated voluntarily. His coronation was held on 1 August 1968. Like his father, he has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
of the United Kingdom
, of which Brunei was a protectorate
until 1984.
The Sultan received high school education in Malaysia's premier school Victoria Institution
in Kuala Lumpur
, where he joined the Cadet Corps (band). After receiving a private education in Brunei, the Sultan attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
in October 1967 but returned home to be the Crown Prince few months before graduation.
, Bruneians have free education
and medical services. There are no personal income tax
es in Brunei.
His official residence
is the Istana Nurul Iman
, with 1,888 rooms, 290 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 sq ft (200,000 m²), controversially claims to be “world’s largest working palace”. The Istana is an official residence with offices housing the Offices of the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan, Grand Chamberlain's office, many istana departments like protocol, istana household and finance departments and offices of the Prime Minister's Department. Parts of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Finance are also located at the palace, as the Sultan is the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. The Crown Prince, who is the Senior Minister, also works from offices at the Istana. Hyatt Borneo Management Services and HM The Sultan's flight also maintain offices there.
The Sultan is the owner of 531 Mercedes-Benzes, 367 Ferraris, 362 Bentleys, 185 BMWs, 177 Jaguars, 160 Porsches, 130 Rolls-Royces and 20 Lamborghinis, bringing the total number of cars he owns to 5000.
, with Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha
being designated his first wife. His former second wife, Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam, was a former stewardess
for the national carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) whom he divorced in 2003, stripping her of all her royal titles. In August 2005 her place was taken by a former Malaysian TV3
presenter, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim
, who is 33 years younger than the Sultan. They divorced in 2010.
Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah is the crown prince
and the Sultan's heir, the eldest son of the Sultan and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha, his first wife. As of 2008, Hassanal Bolkiah has five sons and seven daughters with his three wives.
In 1997, former Miss USA Shannon Marketic
filed a lawsuit against the ruling family of Brunei for $90 million. In the case, Marketic alleged that she and 6 other young women were paid $127,200 each for a modeling job in Brunei (whereas on the ABC news program 20/20, Marketic said she was supposed to provide "intellectual conversations" with visiting guests of the royal family). These other women include former Miss Teen USA and future Miss USA Brandi Sherwood
, who was invited along by Shannon, and Miss United Kingdom runner up Paula Bradbury.
Marketic maintained that she and Stephanie Granton were held as "sex slaves" at the Sultan's palace and were "intimidated and coerced into performing physically and morally repulsive acts of prostitution." They were allegedly expected to dance at nightly parties during which they were groped and grabbed by men, one of whom was the Sultan's son, Prince Azim. During the dances Marketic was also allegedly abused verbally with comments made about her bare breasts. The women were often told to go with a man to have "tea" with him, and then had sex with him. In her interview on 20/20, Marketic said that after 32 days, she had a letter sent to the US Embassy; shortly afterwards, she was paid $10,000 by the ruling family and flown back to the United States. The case was thrown out due to the immunity of the ruling family as heads of state. There has been no further investigation into this case although there are allegations both supporting and refuting her claims. Paula Bradbury separately sued the Sultan and won £500,000 in settlement.
n university.
He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Oxford
, England
, and an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Aberdeen
, Scotland
. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Chulalongkorn University
of Thailand
.
In 2003, he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanities and Culture from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Republic of Indonesia. On 27 January 2005, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the National University of Singapore
.
On 14 April 2011, he was conferred the Honorary Doctorate of Law by King's College London. The scroll for the honorary doctorate was presented by Lord Duoro, the chairman of the Council of King's College London. He was awarded with an honorary doctorate in philoposhy and humanities on 21 April 2011 from Universitas Indonesia, one of the oldest universities in Asia having been established 160 years ago.
of the United Kingdom
as an Air Marshal
. He is also an Honorary Admiral of the Royal Navy
of the United Kingdom, a title given to him by Queen Elizabeth II
when he took the salute at the passing out parade of the 2001 summer term at Britannia Royal Naval College
, Dartmouth, the Royal Navy's officer-training school in the United Kingdom. He has an English residence at Binfield
Manor in Berkshire
.
In April 2008, he was made an honorary member of the Indonesia
n Satgas Atbara
Special Operations Unit.
He holds the rank of Honorary Colonel of Pakistan
's Special Service Group (SSG), awarded to him during his visit to the Pakistan Army
's SSG headquarters at Cherat
.
He possesses red beret and paratrooper wings of the Black Hawk paratroopers, presented to him by the Indian Army
during his state visit to India
.
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Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
GCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(born 15 July 1946) is the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan
Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara, meaning "Head of State" in Malay, was used as an official title at various times in Sabah, Singapore and Brunei.-Singapore:...
of Brunei Darussalam, the 29th Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
and the first Prime Minister of Brunei Darussalam. He is the eldest son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Pengiran Anak Damit.
Political role as Sultan
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, the Sultan is the head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. On 9 March 2006, the Sultan was reported to have changed Brunei's constitution to make himself infallible under Bruneian law. Bolkiah is also the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
as well as holding the portfolios of Minister of Defence and Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
.
As Minister of Defence he is also the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces; an Honorary General in the British and Indonesian armed forces and an Honorary Admiral of the Fleet in the British Navy. He appointed himself as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Royal Brunei Police Force.
He addressed the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
on Brunei Darussalam's admission to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in September, 1984. In 1991, he introduced a conservative ideology to Brunei called Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) (or Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
Islamic Monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
), which presents the monarchy as the defender of the faith. He has recently favoured Brunei government democratisation and declared himself Prime Minister and President. In 2004, the Legislative Council, which had been dissolved since 1962, was reopened.
His designated successor is his eldest son, Al-Muhtadee Billah.
Early years and education
He was born on 15 July 1946 in Brunei Town (now called Bandar Seri BegawanBandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan, with an estimated population 140,000 , is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Brunei...
). He became crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
in 1961 and sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
on 5 October 1967, after his father abdicated voluntarily. His coronation was held on 1 August 1968. Like his father, he has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, of which Brunei was a protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
until 1984.
The Sultan received high school education in Malaysia's premier school Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, where he joined the Cadet Corps (band). After receiving a private education in Brunei, the Sultan attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in October 1967 but returned home to be the Crown Prince few months before graduation.
Other assets
Despite his personal extravagance, he has attempted to share the country's oil wealth. In Brunei, mockingly dubbed the "Shellfare State", a reference to the significant influence of the Shell Oil CompanyShell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
, Bruneians have free education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and medical services. There are no personal income tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es in Brunei.
His official residence
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
is the Istana Nurul Iman
Istana Nurul Iman
The Istana Nurul Iman palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River, a few miles south of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei's capital.-Design...
, with 1,888 rooms, 290 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 sq ft (200,000 m²), controversially claims to be “world’s largest working palace”. The Istana is an official residence with offices housing the Offices of the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan, Grand Chamberlain's office, many istana departments like protocol, istana household and finance departments and offices of the Prime Minister's Department. Parts of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Finance are also located at the palace, as the Sultan is the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. The Crown Prince, who is the Senior Minister, also works from offices at the Istana. Hyatt Borneo Management Services and HM The Sultan's flight also maintain offices there.
The Sultan is the owner of 531 Mercedes-Benzes, 367 Ferraris, 362 Bentleys, 185 BMWs, 177 Jaguars, 160 Porsches, 130 Rolls-Royces and 20 Lamborghinis, bringing the total number of cars he owns to 5000.
Marriage and children
The Sultan currently has one wifeWife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
, with Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha
Pengiran Anak Saleha
Saleha Mohamed Alam is the Queen consort of Brunei as the wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei...
being designated his first wife. His former second wife, Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam, was a former stewardess
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
for the national carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) whom he divorced in 2003, stripping her of all her royal titles. In August 2005 her place was taken by a former Malaysian TV3
TV3 (Malaysia)
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010...
presenter, Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim
Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim
Azrinaz Mazhar binti Hakim Mazhar formerly HRH Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar is the Malaysian-born and previously the third wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei...
, who is 33 years younger than the Sultan. They divorced in 2010.
Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah is the crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
and the Sultan's heir, the eldest son of the Sultan and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha, his first wife. As of 2008, Hassanal Bolkiah has five sons and seven daughters with his three wives.
- By HM Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak SalehaPengiran Anak SalehaSaleha Mohamed Alam is the Queen consort of Brunei as the wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei...
:- HRH Princess Rashidah (born 26 July 1969)
- HRH Princess Muta-Wakkilah (born 12 October 1971)
- HRH Crown Prince General Dr Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah (born 17 February 1974)
- HRH Princess Majeedah Nuurul BolkiahMajeedah BolkiahHer Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bulqiah is the fourth child of Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei and his wife, Pengiran Anak Saleha....
(born 16 March 1976) - HRH Princess Hafizah (born 12 March 1980)
- HRH Prince 'Abdul Malik (born 30 June 1983)
- By HRH Pengiran Isteri Mariam (married 1982, divorced in 2003):
- HRH Prince 'Abdul 'AzimPrince AzimHis Royal Highness Prince Haji 'Abdul 'Azim , known as just Prince Azim, is the second born prince of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. He is the third in line to succeed the throne of Brunei...
(born 29 July 1982) - HRH Princess 'Azemah (born 26 September 1984)
- HRH Princess Fadzillah (born 23 August 1985)
- HRH Prince 'Abdul Mateen (born 10 August 1991)
- HRH Prince 'Abdul 'Azim
- By HRH Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar HakimAzrinaz Mazhar HakimAzrinaz Mazhar binti Hakim Mazhar formerly HRH Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar is the Malaysian-born and previously the third wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei...
(married 2005, divorced in 2010):- HRH Prince 'Abdul Wakeel (born 1 June 2006)
- HRH Princess Ameerah (born 28 January 2008)
Controversies
Between 2001 and 2005 a UK businessman, Mark Burby, was defrauded by two members of the Brunei royal family, Pengiran Ayub (the Sultan's cousin) and Pengiran Damit (the Sultan's sister-in-law). The case went to trial, and the Brunei Royals were ordered to pay over £50M of lost earning to Burby. After the judgement, Burby went to work for a more-senior Brunei Royal on the understanding that the Sultan would ensure that the debt was paid. , the debt remains unpaid.In 1997, former Miss USA Shannon Marketic
Shannon Marketic
Shannon LaRhea Marketic , is a former beauty queen from Phoenix, Arizona who became Miss USA 1992.-Early life:Marketic was crowned Miss Arizona Teen USA 1989 but held the title for only a week and a half after it was discovered an error had been made and she had actually placed first...
filed a lawsuit against the ruling family of Brunei for $90 million. In the case, Marketic alleged that she and 6 other young women were paid $127,200 each for a modeling job in Brunei (whereas on the ABC news program 20/20, Marketic said she was supposed to provide "intellectual conversations" with visiting guests of the royal family). These other women include former Miss Teen USA and future Miss USA Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, who was invited along by Shannon, and Miss United Kingdom runner up Paula Bradbury.
Marketic maintained that she and Stephanie Granton were held as "sex slaves" at the Sultan's palace and were "intimidated and coerced into performing physically and morally repulsive acts of prostitution." They were allegedly expected to dance at nightly parties during which they were groped and grabbed by men, one of whom was the Sultan's son, Prince Azim. During the dances Marketic was also allegedly abused verbally with comments made about her bare breasts. The women were often told to go with a man to have "tea" with him, and then had sex with him. In her interview on 20/20, Marketic said that after 32 days, she had a letter sent to the US Embassy; shortly afterwards, she was paid $10,000 by the ruling family and flown back to the United States. The case was thrown out due to the immunity of the ruling family as heads of state. There has been no further investigation into this case although there are allegations both supporting and refuting her claims. Paula Bradbury separately sued the Sultan and won £500,000 in settlement.
Title
The style and title of the Sultan is full is 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 Negara Brunei Darussalam.Academic honours
The Sultan received an honorary doctorate from a RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n university.
He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
In 2003, he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanities and Culture from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Republic of Indonesia. On 27 January 2005, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
.
On 14 April 2011, he was conferred the Honorary Doctorate of Law by King's College London. The scroll for the honorary doctorate was presented by Lord Duoro, the chairman of the Council of King's College London. He was awarded with an honorary doctorate in philoposhy and humanities on 21 April 2011 from Universitas Indonesia, one of the oldest universities in Asia having been established 160 years ago.
Military honours
The Sultan holds an honorary commission in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as an Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
. He is also an Honorary Admiral of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
of the United Kingdom, a title given to him by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
when he took the salute at the passing out parade of the 2001 summer term at Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, Dartmouth, the Royal Navy's officer-training school in the United Kingdom. He has an English residence at Binfield
Binfield
Binfield is a village and civil parish in the Bracknell Forest borough of Berkshire, England. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 7,475...
Manor in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
In April 2008, he was made an honorary member of the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n Satgas Atbara
Satgas Atbara
The Satgas Atbara is an Special Operations unit whose soldiers are recruited from the Indonesian Air Force unit, the Pasukan Pemukul Reaksi Cepat . In Indonesia it is also known by the designation Bravo-Den 90.The unit specialize in hostage rescue involving hijacked airframes...
Special Operations Unit.
He holds the rank of Honorary Colonel of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Special Service Group (SSG), awarded to him during his visit to the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
's SSG headquarters at Cherat
Cherat
Cherat is a hill station, immediately above the village of Salehkhana or Saleh Khana in the Nowshera District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan...
.
He possesses red beret and paratrooper wings of the Black Hawk paratroopers, presented to him by the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
during his state visit to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
See also
External links
- Government of Brunei
- Leppard, David. "Sultan caught in property feud", Times Online, 30 July 2006
- A Brunei Royal Scandal & Bad Business Dealings
- Kennedy, Dominic. "The prince, the lawyer and his wife lose out in court", The Times, 26 January 2007. article regarding Thomas Derbyshire and Faith Zaman losing appeal against freezing of assets in multi-million dollar fraud case
- Forbes World's Richest People 1997, Forbes.com
- Brunei's Battle Royal, Business Week
- Unofficial website about the sultan; linked 17 February 2006
- Usborne, David. "Brotherly love runs out", 11 February 2006, about the sultan's legal fight with his brother; linked 17 February 2006
- Sultan of Brunei, New Internationalist, May 2000
- Brunei, a Shellfare State – a report of a visit to Brunei
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