The first royal wedding of the year was a family affair — in more ways than one…
Earlier this month, the Princess of Brunei, Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah, tied the knot to Prince Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah… her first cousin. No, we are not joking here. According to the Tatler, the 38-year-old princess is the daughter of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and the prince is the son of the ruler’s brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah, which makes the now-married couple… first cousins!
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The week-long event reportedly took place in the independent sultanate on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia starting on January 8. Per the Borneo Bulletin, the wedding celebration began in the Banquet Hall of the sultan’s official residence at Istana Nurul Iman, and seven ceremonies followed in the days afterward. During the lavish affair, there was a gift exchange, the presentation of the royal insignia, a three-day wedding ceremony, a dining reception, and a ceremonial close – as per tradition. Princess Azemah’s younger brother Prince Abdul Mateen even shared some pictures on Instagram of the festivities, including the Powdering Ceremony on January 11 and the final wedding ceremony on January 15. He wrote in the caption of one post:
“So happy for my dearest big sister and BJB”
While Prince Mateen might be happy for the pair, social media users, on the other hand, have some A LOT of thoughts about the matter – with many people commenting how “disgusting” they find the situation to be. See the reactions (below):
“Say what now? She is marrying her first cousin?”
“Anybody else find this weird? 1st cousins”
“HOW do you think it’s okay to let your daughter marry your brother’s son??”
“All those men in Brunei and she has to marry her first cousin?? Disgusting”
“I can’t be the only one who thinks this is messed up!!!”
“The Sultan of Brunei’s daughter had 8 days of wedding festivities. But she also married her first cousin. I think they should’ve tried a little harder to find a third cousin, at least. She’s 38, so I don’t know if they intend to start a family, but it’s a little concerning.”
“My first cousins just came to mind & the mere thought of having one of them as my husband is just gross.”
What are YOUR thoughts on the matter, Perezcious readers? This is a pretty jaw-dropping situation, to say the least. Let us know your reactions in the comments below.
[Image via MEGA/WENN, Prince Abdul Mateen/Instagram]