Sarah binti Salleh Ab. Rahaman (Jawi: سارة; born 9 April 1987) is the wife of the Crown Prince of Brunei, Al-Muhtadee Billah and born as the daughter of a distant member of the royal family. While attending a pre-university course at 17, she married the Crown Prince. The couple have four children.
| Sarah سارة | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pengiran Anak Isteri | |||||
 Sarah in 2024 | |||||
| Born | Dayangku Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh Ab. Rahaman 9 April 1987 Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue |
| ||||
| |||||
| House | Bolkiah | ||||
| Father | Salleh Ab. Rahaman | ||||
| Mother | Rinawaty Abdullah | ||||
| Education | |||||
Early life
editShe was born Dayangku Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh Ab. Rahaman at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, as the third child and only daughter of Pengiran Salleh Ab-Rahaman Pengiran Damit and Dayang Rinawaty Abdullah (née Suzanne Aeby). Her father (born 1 June 1950) is a distant member of the royal family and worked as the chief laboratory assistant at the Water Services Division in the Public Works Department. Her mother (born 3 March 1954 in Fribourg, Switzerland) is a nurse who worked in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital.[1] Her parents met in the United Kingdom in the 1970s while studying.[2]
Education
editPengiran Anak Sarah attended St. Andrew's School from 1993 to 1998, and then Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College, where she passed her O-levels in 2003. Al-Muhtadee Billah is also an alumnus of both schools. She pursued her pre-university education in the same college.[1] She enrolled at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), where she graduated with First Class Honours in October 2010 and received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Policy and Administration. She is also a military cadet at the university and top scorer in the netball team at the university.[3] She was awarded a Book Prize[4] for her outstanding performances in the Bachelor of Arts (Public Policy and Administration), Year Three programme. She then further pursued her studies and graduated with a Master's Degree in Public Policy in English Medium during UBD’s 23rd Convocation in 2011.
Marriage and children
edit
On 9 September 2004, while still attending Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College, she married 30-year-old Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince, at the age of 17. The event took place at Istana Nurul Iman.[6] Guests included the Duke of Gloucester, the Crown Prince of Japan, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Princes Bandar bin Sultan and Saud bin Faisal of Saudi Arabia, the King of Bahrain, and several Malaysian sultans.[6] The wedding was also attended by heads of state and government from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.[6] The wedding included a bersanding ceremony, and a drive around Bandar Seri Begawan in a golden-topped Rolls-Royce.[7]
The royal couple have four children. Their first child and future heir to the Brunei throne, Pengiran Muda Abdul Muntaqim, was born on 17 March 2007 at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital.[8][9] Their second child, a daughter, Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, was born on 2 January 2011.[10] Pengiran Anak Sarah gave birth to their third child and second son, Pengiran Muda Muhammad Aiman on 7 June 2015.[11] Their fourth child and second daughter, Pengiran Anak Faathimah Az-Zahraa' Raihaanul Bolkiah, was born at 15:54, on 1 December 2017.[12]
| name | born | place of birth | age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pengiran Muda Abdul Muntaqim | 17 March 2007 | Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Brunei | 17 years, 7 months |
| Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah | 2 January 2011 | Istana Nurul Iman, Brunei | 13 years, 10 months |
| Pengiran Muda Muhammad Aiman | 7 June 2015 | Istana Nurul Iman, Brunei | 9 years, 5 months |
| Pengiran Anak Faathimah Az-Zahraa' Raihaanul Bolkiah | 1 December 2017 | Istana Nurul Iman, Brunei | 6 years, 11 months |
Personal life
editSarah's two elder brothers are Awangku Irwan and Awangku Adrian.[13] She enjoys music, classical and modern theatre.[13] Moreover, she enjoys playing basketball and participating in outdoor activities. She has participated in charity runs that her college has sponsored. During international four-wheel drive trips to Trans-Kalimantan-Java-Bali, Brunei-Sarawak-Kalimantan-Sulawesi, and Brunei-Hongkong-China-Mongolia, she has also traveled with her parents.[14]
On 7 February 2010, Sarah joined the netball squad of UBD for the Ministry of Education Netball Championship, which was played in the Multipurpose Hall of Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. After her team defeated the Zone II team 14–11, they were crowned the competition's winners while the Zone II team finished in second place.[15]
Titles, styles and honours
edit| Styles of Pengiran Anak Sarah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | Yang Teramat Mulia |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Titles
editShe is referred to by government media and English-language publications in the country as the wife of the Crown Prince, rather than Crown Princess (Puteri Mahkota). The title "Pengiran Anak Isteri" (Princess consort) is given to the wife of a prince.
- 9 April 1987 – 9 September 2004: Yang Mulia Dayangku
- Since 9 September 2004: Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri
Things named after her
edit- Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah Mosque, a mosque in Kampong Sungai Kelugos.[16]
Honours
editNational
edit
Order of Laila Utama First Class (DK; 15 July 2005) – Dato Laila Utama [17]
Foreign
edit
Jordan:
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (13 May 2008)[18]
Netherlands:
Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (21 January 2013)[19]
Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal (30 April 2013)[20]
References
edit- ^ a b "Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Sarah". BruneiResources.com. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Guests arrive for Brunei crown prince's wedding". China Daily. 9 September 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2004.
- ^ Thien, Rachel; Ubaidullah Masli (1 October 2010). "Princess Sarah gets First Class Honours". The Brunei Times. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
- ^ "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | Royalty at UBD's Medals and Book Prizes Presentation". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- ^ "Crown Prince meets S'pore leaders". sultanate.com. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Guests arrive for Brunei crown prince's wedding". ChinaDaily.com.cn. 9 September 2004. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ Kent, Jonathan (9 September 2004). "Brunei's future king gets married". News.BBC.co.uk. BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ "Brunei Hails Birth of New Prince". BruneiDirect. 18 March 2007. Archived from the original on 20 March 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
- ^ "Brunei's crown prince and wife have baby boy". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Agence France Presse. 18 March 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ^ "His Majesty has named His Majesty's grand-daughter". Radio Television Brunei. 2 January 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "His Majesty names royal grandson". Borneo Bulletin. 21 June 2015. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- ^ "Kebawah DYMM berkenan mengurniakan nama cucunda baginda". Pelita Brunei. 6 December 2017.
- ^ a b Brunei Resources
- ^ "BRUNEIresources.com - His Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Brunei Darussalam". www.bruneiresources.com. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Hezlinawati Haji Abd. Karim (7 February 2010). "UBD juarai Kejohanan Bola Jaring Kementerian Pendidikan" (PDF). www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). pp. 23–24. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Berita Terkini - Peraduan Kuiz Hijrah : Masjid Raja Isteri..." www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Refa'ah Ali Osman (20 July 2005). "40 Dikurniakan Bintang Kebesaran" (PDF). www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn (in Malay). p. 10. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Attorney General's Chambers - Senior Minister". www.agc.gov.bn. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Annadellorusso
- ^ "Inauguration of King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima". Redland City Bulletin. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
