Prince Mateen and Anisha Rosnah's royal wedding solemnised in Brunei

Sultan of Brunei was hand-kissed by son at male-only ceremony before 17-gun salute fired

Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei at his Istiadat Berbedak or powdering ceremony on January 10. Photo: @faiqairudin / Instagram

Brunei's Prince Abdul MateeN touching his forehead on his father's hand, Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah after his solemnisation at Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan. Photo: Brunei's Information Department

Prince Mateen signing documents after his solemnisation. Photo: Brunei's Information Department

Prince Mateen, left, during his solemnisation. Photo: Brunei's Information Department

Prince Abdul Mateen waves following his solemnisation. AFP

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah waves as he arrives for his son's solemnisation ceremony. AFP

People take to the streets to wave as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah passes by. AFP

Military police fire gun salutes after as part of the celebrations. AFP

Prince Mateen is marrying Anisha Rosnah in a lavish 10-day celebration. AFP

Motorists drive under the portraits of groom Prince Abdul Mateen (L) and bride Anisha Rosnah (R) -- with a slogan in Bahasa Melayu that reads "God protect the royal couple" -- ahead of their wedding in Brunei on Borneo island on January 10, 2024. Brunei's polo-playing Prince Abdul Mateen, one of Asia's most eligible bachelors, is set to marry his commoner fiancee on January 11 as part of a lavish 10-day celebration in the oil-rich kingdom. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP)

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan, where the solemnisation ceremony took place. AFP

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah pours scented oil on the hands of Prince Abdul Mateen during the royal powdering ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman, ahead of his wedding to Anisha Rosnah, on January 10, 2024. AFP

Prince Abdul Mateen's bride Anisha Rosnah during the royal powdering ceremony. AFP

The powdering ceremony was held separately for the bride and groom, with Prince Mateen arriving first. AFP

The Istana Nurul Iman where the powdering ceremony was held. Photo: Brunei's Information Department

Prince Mateen and Anisha Rosnah have been dating for a while. Photo: @tmski / Instagram

The marriage of Prince Abdul Mateen and Anisha Rosnah was officially solemnised at a male-only ceremony in Brunei on Thursday.

The Islamic marriage ceremony was held inside the gold-domed Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. It was attended by Prince Mateen's father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the world's longest reigning monarch, as well as relatives and guests.

Inside the mosque, Prince Mateen was seated on a special mat called Kasur Namat, flanked by four ceremonial candles called Dian Empat, English daily Borneo Bulletin reported.

Dressed in traditional white wedding attire decorated with diamond-shaped motifs and a matching headpiece, he affirmed the acceptance of the Akad Nikah or marriage solemnisation.

Afterwards, Prince Mateen approached his father and kissed his hand. A 17-gun salute was then fired to mark the conclusion of the ceremony. Prince Mateen was driven out of the mosque in a luxury saloon and waved to onlookers who were waiting to catch a glimpse of the groom.

The latest ceremony was part of a lavish 10-day celebration in the oil-rich sultanate.

An elaborate powdering ceremony on Wednesday involved the groom and bride-to-be being blessed by close family members who applied powder paste to their hands.

Celebrations for the royal wedding will reach a climax on Sunday with a glittering ceremony in the 1,788-room palace and an elaborate procession.

The guest list is expected to include international royalty and political leaders, including Britain's Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa. Prince Mateen attended both couple's weddings.

Many Bruneians are expected to line the streets on Sunday to watch the newly-weds take part in a procession.

Prince Mateen, 32, is the 10th child of the sultan, while Rosnah is the granddaughter of one of his father's key advisers. While Mateen is well down the succession pecking order, his good looks and huge following on social media have made him one of the highest-profile members of the royal family. He regularly accompanies his father on state visits around the world.

Agencies contributed to this report