BREAKING: Heir to Perak's throne MARRIES for the Third Time.

A Royal Wedding took place in the Malaysian state of Perak yesterday (Saturday, January 12, 2019). The Sultanate's Raja Muda (Crown Prince), Raja Jaafar ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa, 77, tied the knot with his distant cousin, Raja Nazhatul Shima binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, 66, in an elaborate, private palace ceremony; with the bride receiving the title of Raja Puan Mahkota (and evolved to the position of state's "second lady"). A grandson and a daughter of previous Sultans, they are (through a line) both second cousins-once-removed to the present state's ruler, Sultan Nazrin Shah. While the latter is currently serving as Malaysia's acting King/Head of State (/Yang di-Pertuan Agong), the bridegroom temporarly replaces him in daily official functions as Pemangku Raja (/Regent) of Perak. The Couple's dynastic marriage comes after they both became widowed in 2017.

The double wedding ceremony was held at Istana (/palace) Riswin, in Perak's Capital Ipoh. It included both the traditional Akad Nikah (~exchanging of vows) and Bersanding (~marriage' blessing) ceremonies (usually held apart). In attendance were the newlyweds' children, and some of their major royal relatives, including the bride's sister Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah (consort to the Sultan of fellow Malaysian Johor state); brother Raja Iskandar Zulkarnain (second in line to the throne after the groom); and his wife Tunku Soraya (daughter of the late Sultan Abdul Halim from fellow Kedah state). Though each Malaysian state has its own royal traditions, there are some cases of inter-state marriages continuing in our days, with the most of its nine Islamic monarchies being closely related to each other.

Raja Jaafar was born in 1941. He attended english & chinese schools in Malaysia, before studying in Universities here and the US, receiving a Master's degree in public Administration. In the latter he has a wide experience; between 1966 and 1996 he served in various royal and ministerial offices, in aspects including education, economy, management, land owning, and defence. Jaafar married for the first time in 1973, to Raja Nor Mahani binti Almarhum Raja Shahar Shah. Together they had two children, a son and a daughter. They were proclaimed Raja Muda and Raja Puan Besar of Perak, in June 2014, by (the then recently ascended) Sultan Nazrin Shah. Raja Nor Mahani died in October 2017, weeks before her 75th birthday. Jaafar was also briefly married in 2002 to commoner Che' Puan Hazleza binti Ishak, who died under suspicious circumstances the same year.

Raja Nazhatul was born in 1952, the first daughter of Sultan Idris II Iskandar Shah and his wife Raja Muzwin Raja Ariff Shah, Raja Permaisuri of Perak. Through her father she is the second cousin of Raja Jaafar, while through her mother, they are second cousins-once-removed. She attended local schools in her state, before enrolling to a high school in Elgland in 1968. She studied Art & Architecture in British Colledges, receiving a degree in Art and Design, and joining an Industrial Society of these topics. Nazhatul Shima married in September 1972 to Singaporean Syed Omar Alsagoff (1937-2017), with whom she had six sons.

Part of the common genealogy of the Couple, also including some of the previous Sultans of Perak (noticed in red)

Jaafar's father was also the Heir of Perak's throne. The Sultanate's throne is not directly passing from father to son, with its succession based on seniority. Thus some of the heirs can be older than the Sultan (unless he appoints his adult son first), in a complicated system where the throne is often exchanged between branches of distant relatives, and not all of the pretenders live to take the reins.
As the senior Heir of his state's throne, Raja Jaafar became the Regent of Perak in November last year, when Sultan Nazrin Shah (already serving as Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong since 2016) was proclamed acting King during the temporary absence of incumbent YDP Agong Sultan Muhammad V (https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2018/11/breaking-deputy-ydp-agong-appointed.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR1wOsN7arp_c_Q78zf9w__DIKUfhTgMOKUlwU2bD2xuy9FVP9C7tAAM5og). Following the latter's abdication earlier last Sunday (January 6) as Head of State, Nazrin Shah assumed again his duties (until the next King be elected), with Jaafar likely to retain the position of Pemangku Raja until the end of this month. Nazhatul hasn't taken any other title as Regent's consort.

Further links of information (mostly in Malay):
http://warisanpermaisuri.blogspot.com/2019/01/istiadat-pernikahan-perkahwinan-diraja.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Jaafar
https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Nazhatul_Shima
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perak_Sultanate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_succession_to_the_Malaysian_throne#_Perak.