Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has stripped his daughter-in-law of her royal titles, the palace said, citing conduct it described as disrespectful toward the monarch and damaging to the monarchy’s reputation.
The Office of the Grand Chamberlain said the decree affecting Pengiran Raabi’atul Adawiyyah, 33, took effect immediately after being issued on Aug. 7. Officials gave no details of the specific behavior that prompted the decision.
Raabi’atul is married to Prince Abdul Malik, the sultan’s second son with Queen Saleha and fourth in line to the throne. The couple, who wed in 2015, have four young daughters, whose titles remain unaffected by the decree.
Some local reports have speculated the move may be linked to marital difficulties between the couple, though neither Abdul Malik nor Raabi’atul has confirmed any separation.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 80 next month, is the world’s longest-reigning monarch, having ascended the throne in 1967. He has previously revoked titles from two former wives, though those cases followed confirmed divorces.
Brunei, a tiny oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo, is governed as an absolute monarchy with tight state control over information. The sultan drew international criticism after introducing Sharia-based penal code provisions in 2014 and 2019, later announcing an extended moratorium on capital punishment for certain offenses following global backlash.
