After the Swedish King's 80th Birthday, the octogenarian turn came for his only counterpart in the world reigning longer: The Sultan of Brunei! His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah has reigned over Brunei Darussalam since 1967, and served as its sole executive Prime Minister ever since its Independence in 1984. The Sultan's Birthday - July 15 - is an annual holiday in Brunei, with a series of monthly activities in both its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, and its four major districts: Brunei-Muara, Belait, Tutong & Temburong. This year saw extended celebrations of His Majesty's 80th Birthday, from July 1 to August 8, with the main ones: grand ceremonial parade, investiture ceremony & royal banquet, also attended by dignitaries from abroad. Direct public interraction with the world's longest-serving Yang di-Pertuan (Head of State) became possible during the Get-together feasts across The Sovereign Bornean Sultanate's districts, while prayers were dedicated to both The Monarch (Ruler in a Nation of Sharia Law) and his Senior (& only current) Consort, Queen Saleha, who also turned 80 on October 7. The Sovereign Royal Couple (longest-reigning on earth) had their Jubilee jointly celebrated at the Palace on October 31.
A National Comittee for His Majesty's (The Sultan's) 80th Birthday Celebrations was set up from April. Festivities began on Wednesday, July 1 (2026) with hoisting a 3,7x7,5m national flag to a giant flagpole at the open area of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital, presented alongside other national flags (2,5x1,2m) & posters of His Majesty's Jubilee. Other districts held similar hoistings, while members of the nobility or distant relatives of The House of Bolkiah with Princely (Pengiran) and other titles were to officially display their personal standards for the period of celebrations. Lighting and flags decorations across the capital signified the festive moods. The nation united in prayer on the eve of His Majesty's Milestone, Tuesday, July 14. The Sultan attended the Majlis Kesyukuran at Jame' 'Asir Hassanil Bolkiah, Kiarong, where special verses & shuras from the Holy Quran were read after Maghrib (evening prayers) - Sunnat Hajat, Surah Yaasiin & Tahlil, & Isyak prayers - as they were in all mosques across Brunei. The prayers were meant to seek a smooth Birthday celebrations and bless the country and Sultan, who was in attendance alongside his three senior sons (ministers in his office) & brother Prince Jefri.
The first out of two mainstream events on The Sultan's Birthday, Wednesday, 15 July 2026, was The ceremonial Guard of Honour parade, held early in he morning at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien. The venue (an urban park) was named after His Majesty's father & predecessor, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, who abdicated in his favor in 1967 and served as his Defense Minister from 1984 to his death in September 1986. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah entered the large stage in a open-top military vehicle, wearing his uniform and received a royal 21-gun-salute with The National Anthem performed once he reached the Royal Dais. Then, driven by the same vehicle, the new Octogenarian inspected the Guard of Honour, comprising personnel from Royal Brunei: Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Police Force and others. They afterwards paraded in a grand march-past featuring elements of slow and quick marches in ceremonial precision. Once the parade concluded all military personnel resounded in unison three chants of "Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik!" in longevity of His Majesty. The ceremony concluded by another round of national anthem & a spectacular flypast by The Royal Brunei Air Force.
Following The Royal Parade, The Sultan, his sons & brothers and guest delegation headed to The "Light of Faith Palace", or Istana Nurul Iman, the 200,000 square meter Royal Residence of 1,788 rooms, for the Royal audience & investiture ceremony, held at Balai Singgahsana Indera Buana Throne Hall. The Sultan, seated alongside his (main) spouce, Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, first delivered a royal titah (Speech from The Throne, including a royal teaching/will/command), and then proceeded to the conferement of state decorations to selected distinguished officials. The following Orders (& titles) were confered: Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang (1st Class - DPKT; 'Dato Paduka Seri'), Pahlawan Negara Brunei (1st Class - PSPNB; 'Dato Seri Pahlawan'), Setia Negara Brunei (1st Class - PSNB; 'Dato Seri Setia'), Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei (1st Class - SPMB); Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (2nd Class - "Dato Seri Laila Jasa"), Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei (2nd Class - DPMB; 'Dato Paduka'), Islam Brunei (3rd Class - SSUB), & Setia Negara Brunei (3rd Class - SNB). At the conclusion of the second mainstream ceremony, a Doa Selamat prayer was read by the State Mufti of Brunei.
In his titah, Hassanal Bolkiah praised "Allah the Almighty" for all blessings, & focused on government's priority to ensure strategic reserves (petroleum fuel & LPG cylinders) are maintained for daily needs. He considered his age & long-reign a blessing, & looked at a long period where "trust, loyalty & unity" persisted. His Majesty posed union as the backbone against "corruption & dishonesty", & expressed his hope that young people will actively engage in the country's future as "inovators, thinkers and visionary leaders". He briefly referenced new initiatives available in micro-financing & banking facility sectors & reaffirmed his willingness to lead the nation towards the completion of his 'Vision 2035'. The Sultan outlined the government's priorities in terms of energy & economy (non-oil, gas sector), social policy & public safety-disaster management framework (& its issues), as well as fiscal challenges & ways to mitigate them. Before closing his titah, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah mentioned two key milestones for 2027: his Diamond Jubilee (60 years) on the throne & "Visit Brunei Year". He prayed for God's mercy, peace & prosperity to the nation, and thanked all those contributing to it & to his Jubilee celebrations.
The third & last major highlight for The Sultan & Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's 80th Birthday was The Royal Banquet for all high profile guests at Istana Nurul Iman on Thursday, 16 July. Their Majesties Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah & Queen Saleha (who has mobility issues) arrived in the banqueting hall at a special in-house mini vehicle, driven by The Sultan. Their two sons Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah (Senior Minister in PM's Office) & Prince 'Abdul Malik (Minister in PM's Office), daughters-in-law (including Crown Princess Sarah) 2 out of 4 daughters (Majeedah & Hafizah), as well as The Sultan's five other (surviving) children Prince 'Abdul Mateen (Foreign Minister) & wife Princess Anisha Rosnah, Prince 'Abdul Wakeel, Princesses 'Azemah, Fadzilah & 'Ameerah; were in attendance, as were two of The Sultan's brothers, Princes Sufri & Jefri Bolkiah. The most senior invited guests were The Governors of Malaysia's States of Sabah & Serawak (on Borneo Island) & Spouces, & Singapore's Senior Minister (former longtime Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong & his Wife, Ho Ching. As usual, The Royal Banquet was preceded by the recitation of Doa' Selamat blessing prayer, by The State Mufti.
As mentioned above, celebrations for The Sultan of Brunei's 8 decades continued well into August. The pinnacle of those celebrationas were the Royal Get-Together ceremonies, where His Majesty interacted in person with people from all walks of life. Four mainstream "get-together" events took place on July 22 & 29 and on 1 & 4 August in Tutong, Brunei-Muara, Belait & Temburong (respectively). Festivities included: National Anthem playing, cake cutting, Doa Selamat prayers, costumed performances around the theme of Monarch as pillar of the nation, walkabouts, exhibits, luncheons & other events. Official celebrations concluded on Saturday, August 8, with the lowering of the giant National Flag from its pole at a military ceremony in the Open area of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex (Bandar Seri Begawan), followed by similar ceremonies accross other districts, with Surah Al-Fatihah receited in the end. Everything went smoothly for the Royal Family, but a small controversy, was handled radically. 'Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri' (HRH Princess Consort) Pengiran Raabi'atul Adawiyyah, wife of Prince 'Abdul Malik, was stripped of her consort's title on August 7, for actions deemed inappropriate for a Royal Spouce.
Her Majesty (Queen) Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Binti Almarhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam, Hassanal Bolkiah's Consort since 1965, had her 80th Birthday on Wednesday, October 7 (2026). However, on the very day of her Milestone it was announced that her sister, HRH Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah (just one year younger), had died the previous day (Tuesday, 6 October 2026) at 5.43'pm, aged 79. She was the married to The Sultan's brother Prince Mohamed Bolkiah for 56 years, and received a Royal Funeral & Burial on her sister, The Queen's (attending in a wheelchair) 80th Birthday, with The National Flag flying at One-Quarter of the Flagpole for one day. Hence The Queen's Jubilee celebrations were postponned for some two weeks. On Saturday, October 24, Her Majesty's 80th Birthday was celebrated at the Royal Berkshire Hall, Royal Brunei Jerudong Polo Club in Jerudong. The all-female feast, attended by Queen Saleha's daughters & daughter-in-law Crown Princess Sarah, was hosted by Datin Dayang Hajah Khalsom & featured quranic readings (by 80 orphans), Birthday cake cutting, special chronological photo book presentation to The Queen & birthday songs performances in her honour.
The caping mainstream event, celebrating Their Majesties Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah & Queen Hajah Saleha's Jubilee 80th Birthdays was jointly graced at The Banqueting Hall of Istana Nurul Iman, last Saturday, 31 October 2026. Members of the entire Royal Family were in attendance, as well as state officials, members of The Cabinet (Government), Supreme Court, Privy Council, Succession Council & Islamic Institutions were in attendance. Upon their grand entrance, Their Majesties were greeted by the Chairpersons of the Ceremony's Commitee & their Spouces, and signed a commemorative parchment, before being presented their Birthday Cake. The Sultan & Queen were presented a special book, titled: "The King and the Queen: A Royal Legacy", which outlines Their Majesties' biographies, highlighting their contributions towards national development, Islamic Faith, people's wellfare & the Malay-Islamic Monarchy's identity. A special 'Doa' prayer was receited by The State Mufti during the ceremony, which also included a video presentation of the forementioned book, a syair recitation titled "Julangan Kasih Dirgahayu 80" & special performances by religious students, military orchestras & Brunei youth talents.
Both born in 1946, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah & Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha were married on 29 July 1965, two years before Hassanal Bolkiah succeeded his father as Sultan & Yang di-Pertuan of Bornean Sultanate Brunei Darussalam (which refused to become part of The Federation of Malaysia years earlier) on 5 October 1967. Their Majesties have six children, two sons & four daughters; their eldest son, Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, was proclaimed Crown Prince in 1998. (Through his 2004 marriage to Crown Princess Sarah he has four children: 2 sons & 2 daughters). The Sultan, an absolute Monarch with unlimited executive powers, who has been The Prime Minister of Brunei upon its Independence of Britain on 1 January 1984, also had six more children (3 sons & 3 daughters) from his secondary wives, Mariam Abdul Aziz (m. 1981-2003) & Azrinah Mazhar Hakim (m. 2005-2010), five out of whom survive. The Sultan also holds the ministries of Defense & Finance & has been Minister of Foreign Affairs (2015-2026). He celebrated his Golden Jubilee on the Throne in 2017 & became the world's longest-reigning Monarch upon the death of Elizabeth II, in 2022.
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