Al-Muhtadee Billah

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Bolkiah is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Hassanal. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

His Royal Highness Pengiran Muda Mahkota Haji Al Muhtadee Billah GCVO
Crown Prince of Brunei
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 August 1998
Preceded by	Hassanal Bolkiah
Senior minister of the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei
Incumbent
Assumed office August 2009
Monarch	Hassanal Bolkiah
Preceded by	post created
Pro Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Incumbent
Assumed office 1984
Chancellor	Hassanal Bolkiah
Preceded by	post created
Personal details
Born	Pengiran Muda Al Muhtadee Billah (1974-02-17) 17 February 1974 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Spouse	Pengiran Anak Sarah
Children	Prince Abdul Muntaqim Princess Muneerah Madhul Prince Muhammad Aiman
Parents	Hassanal Bolkiah (father) Pengiran Anak Saleha (mother)
Alma mater	Universiti Brunei Darussalam, University of Oxford

Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, GCVO; (born 17 February 1974) is the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam. He is in the first in line of succession to become the next Sultan of Brunei. He holds the position of senior minister of the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei, General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Brunei Police Force.

Early life

Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah was born at Istana Darul Hana, Bandar Seri Begawan on 17 February 1974. He is the first-born son and heir to the throne of Brunei. He is the son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Pengiran Anak Saleha (both first cousins).

Education

Al-Muhtadee Billah's education began early in life, at the Prince-Princess School at the Istana Darul Hana. He also had his primary education at St. Andrew's School, Brunei, in Bandar Seri Begawan. Subsequently, he progressed through the Brunei Junior Certificate of Education in 1988, and the General Certificate of Education GCE Ordinary Level Exam in 1991 while he was studying at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College. He passed the GCE Advanced Level Exam in 1994.

Al-Muhtadee Billah attended tutorials at the University of Brunei Darussalam and began his overseas education at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in October 1995. He matriculated for admission to University of Oxford's Foreign Service Programme at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1997. While at Oxford, he followed a programme of study specially designed for him involving Islamic studies, trade, diplomacy and international relations. He received his Diploma in diplomatics Studies in a special convocation held on 3 August 1998 in Bandar Seri Begawan.

In 1988 Al-Muhtadee Billah completed the reading of the Holy Quran (Khatamal Quran) and the 'ayat-ayat lazim' and also studied various aspects of Islamic teachings.

Proclamation as Crown Prince

Al-Muhtadee Billah was proclaimed Crown Prince of Brunei on 10 August 1998 at the Istana Nurul Iman. At the ceremony, his father, the Sultan of Brunei, bestowed upon him the 'Keris Si Naga'. This put him in line to become the 30th Sultan of Brunei. The ceremony was followed by the procession around the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Role in government

In preparing to become the future leader and head of the country, Al-Muhtadee Billah holds several roles in government. He is the Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, a general in the Brunei Armed Forces, and the Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Brunei Police Force. As Senior Minister he is also Head of the National Disaster Management Committee.

As the Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (and the royal court), he is being intensively groomed in all aspects of governance. When his father is abroad, he is always appointed to act as the Deputy Sultan. He also grants audience to arriving and departing foreign Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Increasingly he appears at official functions to improve his public speaking abilities in making sabda (royal speeches of a Crown Prince). He is the Deputy Chancellor of the University of Brunei Darussalam and the Chancellor of the Institute Technology Brunei; once a year he awards diplomas at the convocations of both institutions.

Marriage and children

On 9 September 2004, (aged 30), he married 17-year-old Pengiran Anak Sarah at Nurul Iman Palace in Bandar Seri Begawan. Guests included the Duke of Gloucester, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Princes Bandar and Saud al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, the King of Bahrain and other Malaysian sultans. The wedding was also attended by heads of state and government from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The wedding included a bersanding ceremony, and a drive around Bandar Seri Begawan in a golden-topped Rolls Royce.

On 17 March 2007 their first child, future heir to the Brunei throne, was born and named Pengiran Muda 'Abdul Muntaqim.
Their daughter, Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, was born on 2 January 2011.

On June 7, 2015, their third child, and second son, was born and named Pengiran Muda Muhammad Aiman.

Personal interests

He owns sports cars from around the world, including a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, a Mercedes McLaren SLR and a Ferrari 599 GTB.

He is a pool and snooker enthusiast, and participated in the 2006 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship. The 2007 World Pool Championship was launched on 10 October at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila; Al-Muhtadee Billah represented Brunei in the tournament at the Araneta Coliseum from 3 to 11 November.

A football club, the Brunei DPMM FC is owned by Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, who previously played as a goalkeeper for the team.

Biography

• Token of gratitude from the people (Tanda Kesyukuran Dari Rakyat), 20 February 1974.
• Son and heir for Brunei Sultan, by Bernard Long.
• 'Curahan Kasih', in conjunction of his marriage on 9 September 2004.

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of The Crown Prince of Brunei
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Sir

Titles and style

English language style

The style and title of Al-Muhtadee Billah in full is:
His Royal Highness Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'Izzaddin Waddaulah, Crown Prince of Brunei.

Malay language style

Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah

which means

• Yang Teramat Mulia  : Style used, among other, for the children of a Sultan by a Royal wife (=His Royal Highness)
• Duli ... Paduka Sri Pangiran Muda Mahkota : Crown Prince
• Pengiran Muda : "Prince" used for sons of the Sultan
• Haji : Honorific used before the name for males who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca ( Hajj )

Honours

He was awarded:

National Honours

• Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB, 15 August 1982)
• First Class (Dato Paduka Seri) of the Most Exalted Order of Famous Valour (DPKT, 31 May 2004)
• Pingat Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan (Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal - PHBS, 1 August 1968)

Foreign Honours

• Jordan : Grand Cordon Special class of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (13 May 2008)
• Laos : Lian Kiatikhounh Medal of Honour of Laos (22 March 2006)
• Philippines : Grand Cross of the Order of Lakandula (9 November 2006)
• Saudi Arabia : First class of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (3 January 1999)
• Singapore : Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Distinguished Service Order - 8 May 2006)
• United Kingdom : Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on 17 September 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II.
• Netherlands : Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (21 January 2013)

Ancestry

Family of Al-Muhtadee Billah

16. Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin 8. Muhammad Jamalul Alam II 17. Pengiran Siti Fatimah 4. Omar Ali Saifuddien III 18. Pengiran Anak Saiful Rijal 9. Pengiran Anak Fatimah 19. Pian Jamaliah 2. Hassanal Bolkiah 20. Pengiran Muda Besar Omar 10. Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman 21. Pengiran Anak Siti Khadija 5. Pengiran Anak Damit 22. Radin Haji Hassan 11. Pengiran Fatima 23. Hajah Zainab 1. Al-Muhtadee Billah 24. Pengiran Muda Besar Omar (= 20) 12. Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman (= 10) 25. Pengiran Anak Siti Khadija (= 21) 6. Pengiran Anak Muhammad Alam 26. Radin Haji Hassan (= 22) 13. Pengiran Fatima (= 11) 27. Hajah Zainab (= 23) 3. Pengiran Anak Saleha 28. Pengiran Anak Ismail Apong 14. Pengiran Anak Metassan 29. Pengiran Anak Taisa 7. Pengiran Anak Besar 30. 15. Pengiran Anak Piut 31.

External links

• Pictures from 2004 wedding