Heir to Brunei fortune marries in lavish ceremony

A PRINCE who is heir to the fabulous fortune of the oil-rich sultanate of Brunei married a 17-year-old half-Swiss commoner yesterday in Asia’s wedding of the year, attended by royalty and dignitaries from around the world.

Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah, aged 30, son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah the absolute and fabulously wealthy ruler of 350,000 subjects wed Sarah Salleh before 2,000 people in a traditional Malay Muslim ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman, the 1,788-room main palace.

The sultan escorted the Oxford-educated prince wearing a gold crown and a kris dagger tucked into his sash to a golden chair on the dais. He was joined by his bride, who emerged from a stateroom more than an hour behind schedule.