Private jets, yachts and exotic pets: Inside the lavish life of Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei

With the royal family announcing the upcoming nuptials of the young prince and his longtime girlfriend, the spotlight is on one of Asia’s ‘most eligible bachelors’, as Maroosha Muzaffar reports

(tmski/Instagram)

Abdul Mateen once described himself as “a grounded man who doesn’t like to flaunt his family’s wealth”. A cursory glance at the young prince of Brunei’s Instagram profile, however, shows a world filled with opulence – polo, yachts, exotic pets, and private jets.

With the royal family of Brunei recently announcing the wedding of the 32-year-old prince with his longtime girlfriend Anisha Rosnah in January 2024, the spotlight is on one of Asia’s “most eligible bachelors” and his entrepreneur fiancee.

Mateen, a pilot and polo player who has a following of over 2.4 million on Instagram, and is sixth in line to Brunei’s throne, has drawn comparisons in the past with Britain’s Prince Harry. His Instagram posts show a mix of official duties with yachting, travelling in private jets and stays at world-class hotels.

He has in fact met many members of Britain’s royal family himself, and often accompanies his father – Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah – on official visits including to the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. He also stood by his father’s side at the royal wedding of Jordan’s Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and Rajwa Al Saif.

The Sultan of Brunei is not only one of the world’s longest-serving monarchs but also one of the wealthiest people on the planet, with a net worth of over £24bn.

Prince Mateen is the fourth son and the tenth child of the Sultan, born to his former wife Puan Hajah Mariam binti Haji Abdul Aziz. He has been in a relationship with Rosnah for several years, evident through various public appearances such as the wedding of Mateen’s sister, princess Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, earlier this year.

He currently serves as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Brunei Air Force, holding the rank of major. A keen polo player, Mateen represented Brunei at the South East Asian Games in 2017 and 2019.

His wife-to-be is the granddaughter of one of the Sultan’s trusted advisers, Pehin Dato Isa. Rosnah has carved her own path as a thriving entrepreneur in Brunei, according to the local media. In addition to leading her fashion brand – Silk Collective – she co-owns a tourism enterprise called Authentirary along with a close friend.

Mateen and Rosnah both share a passion for fitness and enjoy an active lifestyle, according to local media reports. Rosnah has a reputation for being something of a culinary enthusiast, maintaining a page on Instagram where she offers cooking advice to her followers.

The Islamic ceremony to solemnise their marriage will be held on 11 January and the reception on 14 January. The royal couple will embark on a procession in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. To mark the end of the celebrations, which will last for ninen days, a banquet will be held on the evening of 15 January.

There is no word yet on an official guest list for the wedding, but royalty from around the world are expected to be in attendance.

Brunei’s royal family is the ruling monarchy of Brunei – a small sovereign state located on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The family is one of the wealthiest and most influential in the world, primarily due to the country’s substantial oil and natural gas reserves.

In an interview with GQ Thailand, Mateen once described himself as “funny, weird but in a good way, sweet and simple”. He also reportedly said that he was “more interested in the simple life, his passions, time with family and friends, and his other noble pursuits”.

Back in 2010, the prince embarked on his military career as a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK – another thing he shares with Prince Harry – graduating at the age of 19. He later told GQ this experience remained one of his life’s most cherished.

The prince, who was named one of Asia’s 50 most eligible bachelors by Tatler Magazine in 2016, subsequently earned a master’s degree from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). A glance at his Instagram page shows the range of his interests, including boxing, football, golf, martial arts, and various other sports. He also shares his fascination with wildlife and high-speed automobiles.

According to the Vietnam Times, he is a familiar presence at the annual Singapore Formula 1 Night Race, a premier after-hours event in the Lion City. The sultan himself is known for his own collection of cars. Hotcars reported in February this year that “the exact number of cars in the Sultan of Brunei’s collection vary upon sources, but some indicate that this figure is as high as 7,000”.

“If a shining silver armour is the outfit of choice for the princes of yore, then a sharp, three-piece, Savile Row suit is exactly what Prince Mateen will save the day in; in today’s age of Instagram,” the Vietnam Times says about Prince Mateen’s style.

It said that he is “a frequent patron of the tailor shops along the famed street in west London” and that the prince “owns an enviable wardrobe of quality British tailoring, and is often spotted looking dapper in them”.

He also often documents his exotic house pets such as white tiger cubs on Instagram.

But his multifaceted lifestyle also attracts its fair share of criticism in the conservative country.

A TikToker earlier this year posted a video of the prince and Rosnah hugging and wrote: “Prince Mateen and Anisha, lovely couple.” One user responded: “Are they married? Isn’t Brunei strict about what is ‘halal’ and what is ‘haram’?” according to Malaysian outlet Hype.

On Reddit, another commentator observed: “While people should mind their own business, these royals should keep in mind that their actions reflect poorly on Brunei, which has chosen to represent itself as a strict, Shariah-compliant, Islamic country.”

In a 2017 CNN report, Michael Auslin of the Hoover Institution was quoted as saying: “They’re [the royal family] probably fairly well insulated from criticism, as the Bruneians are living better than almost anyone else in Asia. Here you’re talking about oil wealth that has been spread throughout society, the majority are benefiting.

“Their lifestyle is literally inconceivable for the vast majority of humanity. It’s lavish beyond belief. Take everything you can imagine in the lifestyles of the rich and famous and multiply it.”