Meet Brunei's new princess: how former Bath University student Anisha Rosnah – who has known her groom since childhood and is the granddaughter of the Sultan's special advisor – won the heart of Asia's most eligible bachelor

He was once named one of Asia's most eligible bachelors, but Brunei's Prince Abdul Mateen is now permanently off the market as he celebrates his 10-day wedding to Anisha Rosnah.

Looking effortlessly elegant, the 29-year-old bride stunned in a white lace dress today as she attended the Berbedak Mandi ceremony held at Istana Nurul Iman, ahead of their lavish service at Bandar Seri Begawan.

The couple was showered with blessings from those close to them. Parents, siblings and elders attended this momentous occasion.

While little is known about how their relationship blossomed, it is reported that the couple has been dating for years with Anisha's brother, Danial Isa Kelbic, a childhood friend of the prince.

The bride comes from a prestigious family background, with her grandfather Pehin Dato Isa having served as a special advisor to the Sultan of Brunei.

He also held top government positions in Brunei in the 1960s and 1970s, including as deputy attorney general and deputy chief minister.

But instead of following in her grandfather's footsteps, Anisha, who studied at the University of Bath in Britain, is now a thriving entrepreneur in Brunei.

She founded the successful fashion brand Silk Collective and co-owns a tourism company called Authentirary with a good friend.

In her spare time, she reportedly had an Instagram page dedicated to food, where she posted her baking, cooking and eating adventures. However, the account has not been used since January 2022.

Despite her hectic schedule, Anisha and her prince also enjoy exercising together Hype MY.

Her brother, Danial, who has 59.8k followers on Instagram, appears to share a close friendship with Prince Mateen.

For the royal family's birthday in 2013, Anisha's sibling apparently posted a photo of the three of them playing together as children, according to delighted fans on social media.

“I guess the feelings were never mutual haha.. Happy birthday bro!!” he captioned the photo, which showed Danial hugging the reluctant prince tightly.

Prince Mateen, who has 2.5 million followers on his Instagram account, replied: 'Haha [thanks] Than.'

Anisha and her prince have reportedly been dating for several years and have attended a number of events together, including the wedding of Mateen's sister, Princess Azemah Ni'matul Bolkiah, in 2023.

And while her family background is prestigious, it probably doesn't compare to the household she's part of.

The Patriarch of Brunei, the Sultan of Brunei, is one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of over £24 billion, thanks to exports of crude oil and natural gas.

Yesterday the prince, 32, the fourth son – and tenth child – of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 77, and his former second wife Mariam Abdul Aziz, 67, enjoyed a royal powdering ceremony with his bride.

The Brunei royal looked vibrant in traditional attire alongside Anisha during the elaborate, centuries-old ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman.

This ceremony is common in Malaysia and Brunei and involves the bride and groom being blessed by close family members.

The family applies paste on the couple's hands and wishes them a happy, fruitful and rich married life.

The polo-playing prince was one of Asia's most eligible bachelors before he met his fiancée, although little is known about how their relationship blossomed.

For the event, which is part of their 10-day wedding, the couple donned extremely lavish, coordinated red outfits.

This will be followed by a banquet on Sunday, which royals from around the world are expected to attend.

The prince's lavish lifestyle is evident on Instagram: glimpses of superyachts, exotic pets, world-class hotels and private jets, intertwined with official royal engagements around the world, are posted on his page.

But perhaps surprisingly, when he was 24, GQ Thailand described him as “a man under house arrest who doesn't like to show off his family's wealth.”

“He says thank you at the end of every sentence, and he makes no distinctions by class or social status in his interactions with those around him,” the publication said.

The interview showed that the prince's charm attracted more attention than his striking appearance.

It also indicated that Mateen was more focused on sharing his interests and discussing family and friends, rather than the monarch's wealth.

Prince Mateen, who was named one of Asia's 50 most coveted bachelors by Tatler Magazine in 2016, obtained a Master of Arts in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of London in 2016.

He currently serves as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Brunei Air Force, with the rank of Major.

Mateen has also shown his passion for polo by representing Brunei at the Southeast Asian Games in 2017 and 2019.

The 32-year-old is an avid traveler and regularly posts photos of exotic destinations for his Instagram audience. One photo in particular shows him cradling a tiger cub on the beach.

He often accompanies his father on official visits, including the coronation of King Charles II and Queen Camilla, held at Westminster Abbey on May 6.