Brunei’s breath of fresh air
Bandar Seri Begawan – In real life, he’s a prince of an Islamic sultanate steeped in centuries-old traditions but, on Instagram, Brunei’s Abdul Mateen, pictured, is more Hollywood than royalty as he flies in fighter jets, drives speed boats and poses bare-chested after workouts.
Mateen, 32, was one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors until he married his 29-year-old fiancee on Thursday in a male-only ceremony at a mosque in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
As the 10th child and fourth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, he is unlikely to ever ascend the throne of the oil-rich country on the northern edge of Borneo island.
Yet, Mateen’s matinee idol looks, rippling six-pack and sense of adventure – captured in photos and videos that are carefully curated on Instagram – have turned him into a public relations asset for the royal family, which has been battered by scandals.
“He’s a breath of fresh air,” said Bruneian snack store worker Amyra Syahira Awang Ahmad, 20, who is among Mateen’s 2.5 million Instagram followers.
A pre-wedding photo of Mateen and his fiancee, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, posted on Instagram on 31 December shows him wearing an open-neck white shirt under a dark, double-breasted blazer, while she is in a cream pantsuit and no hijab.
It drew more than 11 000 comments with some smitten followers lamenting that 2024 was starting with “heartbreak” – a reference to their own rather than the prince’s.
The photo appears to be part of an effort to burnish a more modern image of the conservative country – and make the royal family relevant to a younger generation of Bruneians that has grown up on social media.
“Prince Mateen would be what I describe as an important youth change-maker in Brunei society,” said Mustafa Izzuddin, a visiting professor of international relations at the Islamic University of Indonesia.
“You can call him a cultural Instagrammer because he is adept at connecting with the younger folk,” he told AFP.
His public profile has exploded on Instagram, with posts showing him playing polo, boxing in a ring, dabbling in photography and posing in military uniform.
One video shows the prince flying in a F/A 18 Super Hornet warplane. It generated more than 250 000 likes and a comparison to Top Gun star Tom Cruise.