Sultan of Brunei strips daughter-in-law of all royal titles over 'unbecoming' behavior; children's titles unaffected

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, has revoked the royal titles of his daughter-in-law, Pengiran Raabi'atul Adawiyyah, citing 'unbecoming' behavior that tarnished the monarchy's reputation.¹²⁷

The announcement, made by the Office of the Grand Chamberlain, did not specify the exact actions that led to this decision. However, it emphasized that her conduct was deemed disrespectful towards the Sultan, the world's longest-reigning monarch at 80 years old.³⁴

“The revocation was carried out following conduct by Pengiran Raabi'atul Adawiyyah that was deemed unbecoming of a spouse of a member of the Royal Family,” the statement read. The couple, who married in a lavish ceremony in 2015, have four children: Princess Muthee'ah, 10, Princess Fathiyyah, 8, Princess Khaalishah, 6, and Princess Nabeelah, 16 months. Notably, the children's titles remain intact despite their mother's loss of status.⁵⁶⁸

This incident raises questions about the nature of the alleged misconduct, as the Sultan has previously stripped titles from individuals for similar reasons. “It is not uncommon for royals to have their titles stripped now if they are considered to have damaged the monarchy's reputation,” noted a royal expert. The Sultan has a history of revoking titles, including those of two former wives after their divorces. However, there has been no announcement regarding any marital issues between Pengiran and Prince Abdul Malik, who is fourth in line to the throne.

The situation mirrors other royal controversies, such as that of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in the UK, who lost his titles amid scandal. “Her actions were also found to have tarnished the monarchy's good name and demonstrated a lack of respect towards Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah,” the statement concluded.