Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei

Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah (born February 17, 1974) is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Princess Saleha binti Mohammad Alam. He is the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and is first in the line of succession to the Bruneian throne.

Al-Muhtadee Billah holds the position of senior minister of the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei, General of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Brunei Police Force.

Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah was born at Istana Darul Hana, Bandar Seri Begawan on 17 February 1974. He is the first-born son and heir to the throne of Brunei. He is the son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Pengiran Anak Saleha (both first cousins). His paternal grandparents were Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Pengiran Anak Damit. His maternal grandparents were Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammad Alam and Pengiran Anak Hajah Besar.

Al-Muhtadee Billah's education began early in life, at the Prince-Princess School at the Istana Darul Hana. He also had his primary education at St. Andrew's School in Bandar Seri Begawan. Subsequently, he progressed through the Brunei Junior Certificate of Education in 1988, and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level Exam in 1991 while he was studying at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College. He was further educated at Emanuel School in London. He passed his GCE Advanced Level exams in 1994.

Al-Muhtadee Billah attended tutorials at the University of Brunei Darussalam and began his overseas education at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in October 1995. He matriculated for admission to University of Oxford's Foreign Service Programme at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1997. While at Oxford, he followed a programme of study specially designed for him involving Islamic studies, trade, diplomacy and international relations. He received his Diploma in diplomatics Studies in a special convocation held on 3 August 1998 in Bandar Seri Begawan.

In 1988 Al-Muhtadee Billah completed the reading of the Quran and the 'ayat-ayat lazim' and also studied various aspects of Islamic teachings.

Al-Muhtadee Billah was proclaimed Crown Prince of Brunei on 10 August 1998 at the Istana Nurul Iman. At the ceremony, his father, the Sultan of Brunei, bestowed upon him the 'Keris Si Naga'. This put him in line to become the 30th Sultan of Brunei. The ceremony was followed by the procession around the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Role in government

In preparing to become the future leader and head of the country, Al-Muhtadee Billah holds several roles in government. He is the Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, a general in the Brunei Armed Forces, and the Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Brunei Police Force. As Senior Minister he is also Head of the National Disaster Management Committee.

As the Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (and the royal court), he is being intensively groomed in all aspects of governance. When his father is abroad, he is always appointed to act as the Deputy Sultan. He also grants audience to arriving and departing foreign Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Increasingly he appears at official functions to improve his public speaking abilities in making sabda (royal speeches of a Crown Prince). He is the Deputy Chancellor of the University of Brunei Darussalam and the Chancellor of the Institute Technology Brunei; once a year he awards diplomas at the convocations of both institutions.

On 9 September 2004, (aged 30), he married 17-year-old Pengiran Anak Sarah at Nurul Iman Palace in Bandar Seri Begawan. Guests included the Duke of Gloucester, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, Princes Bandar and Saud al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, the King of Bahrain and other Malaysian sultans. The wedding was also attended by heads of state and government from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The wedding included a bersanding ceremony, and a drive around Bandar Seri Begawan in a golden-topped Rolls Royce.

On 17 March 2007 their first child, future heir to the Brunei throne, was born and named Abdul Muntaqim.
Their second child, and first daughter, Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, was born on 2 January 2011. On 7 June 2015, their third child, and second son, was born and named Muhammad Aiman. On 15:54, 12 Rabiulawal 1439 corresponding to 1 December 2017, their fourth child, and second daughter, Faathimah Az-Zahraa' Raihaanul Bolkiah, was born.

He owns sports cars from around the world, including a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640, a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

He is a pool and snooker enthusiast, and participated in the 2006 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship, and later the 2008 WPA World Eight-ball Championships. The 2007 World Pool Championship was launched on 10 October at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila; Al-Muhtadee Billah represented Brunei in the tournament at the Araneta Coliseum from 3 to 11 November.

A football club, the Brunei DPMM FC is owned by Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, who previously played as a goalkeeper for the team.

• Token of gratitude from the people (Tanda Kesyukuran Dari Rakyat), 20 February 1974.
• Son and heir for Brunei Sultan, by Bernard Long.
• 'Curahan Kasih', in conjunction of his marriage on 9 September 2004.

Titles and style

English language style

The style and title of Al-Muhtadee Billah in full is:
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office

Malay language style

Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah.

• Duli Yang Teramat Mulia: Style used by the Crown Prince as the other male royal offspring of the Sultan (without Vizier ranks) will receive Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Duli: His Royal Highness (in 2017 special decree had been granted to elevate all of the current Sultan's sons with the style of Duli Yang Teramat Mulia or His Royal Highness).
• Pengiran Muda Mahkota : Crown Prince
• Pengiran Muda : "Prince" used for sons of the Sultan only.
• Haji : Honorific used before the name for males who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca ( Hajj )

Honours

He was awarded:

National Honours

Foreign Honours

•  Jordan: Grand Cordon with Brilliants of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance(13 May 2008)
•  Laos : Lian Kiatikhounh Medal of Honour of Laos (22 March 2006)
•  Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (21 January 2013)
•  Netherlands: Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
•  Philippines : Grand Cross of the Order of Lakandula (9 November 2006)
•  Saudi Arabia : Member First class of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (3 January 1999)
•  Singapore : Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Distinguished Service Order - 8 May 2006)
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on 17 September 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II.