Brunei Sultan strips daughter-in-law of princess title and royal status

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 14: Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has issued a royal decree stripping his daughter-in-law, Pengiran Raabi’atul Adawiyyah, of her title as princess and her style of Highness with immediate effect.

The 33-year-old is married to the Sultan’s second son, Prince Malik, who is fourth in line to the Bruneian throne. The royal decree said the decision followed “actions considered inappropriate for the wife of a member of the royal family” that had tarnished the family’s reputation and shown “serious disrespect” to the Sultan.

No further details were provided about the alleged actions or the circumstances behind the decision. However, reports and speculation have pointed to a possible divorce between Prince Malik and Raabi’atul Adawiyyah. The couple have been married for more than 10 years and have four children.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this year, has been married three times and divorced twice. He remains married to his first wife, Queen Saleha, with whom he has six children.

Prince Malik is among the Sultan’s sons with a place in the line of succession, alongside Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah. Brunei’s succession rules exclude women from inheriting the throne