Al-Muhtadee Billah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al-Muhtadee Billah المهتدي بالله
Pengiran Muda Mahkota
Al-Muhtadee Billah in 2024
Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 May 2005
Monarch	Hassanal Bolkiah
Prime Minister	Hassanal Bolkiah
Born	(1974-02-17) 17 February 1974 (age 51) Istana Darul Hana, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Spouse	Princess Sarah ​ (m. 2004)​
Issue	Prince Abdul Muntaqim Princess Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah Prince Muhammad Aiman Princess Faathimah
Regnal name Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
House	Bolkiah
Father	Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Mother	Pengiran Anak Saleha
Religion	Sunni Islam
Education	Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College Magdalen College, Oxford Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
Military career
Allegiance	Brunei
Service/branch	Royal Brunei Armed Forces
Years of active service	2004–present
Rank	General

Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah (Jawi: المهتدي بالله ابن حسن البلقية), born on February 17, 1974, is the oldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha. He is the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam. This means he is next in line to become the leader of Brunei. He is a very important person in the country's government.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Brunei

Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah was born at Istana Darul Hana in Bandar Seri Begawan on February 17, 1974. He is the first-born son, which makes him the heir to the throne of Brunei. He started his schooling at the Putera Puteri School at Istana Darul Hana. Later, he went to St. Andrew's School for his primary education. By 1988, he had finished reading the "surah-surah Lazim" and the Quran.

High School and College Studies

He continued his studies at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College. There, he passed the Brunei Junior Certificate of Education (BJCE) in 1988. He also passed the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level exam in 1991. After that, he studied at Emanuel School in London. He successfully passed his GCE Advanced Level exams in 1994.

University Education

Al-Muhtadee Billah attended classes at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). In October 1995, he began his studies abroad at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. He then joined the Foreign Service Programme at Magdalen College, Oxford, part of the University of Oxford. He graduated from Oxford in 1997. During his time there, he was known as "Mr. Omar Hassan." This allowed him to experience a normal student life. His studies at Oxford focused on Islamic studies, trade, diplomacy, and international relations. He received his diploma in Diplomatics on August 3, 1998, in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Becoming Crown Prince

Proclamation and Early Roles

Al-Muhtadee Billah was officially named the Crown Prince of Brunei on August 10, 1998. This special ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman. During the event, his father, the Sultan of Brunei, gave him the 'Keris Si Naga'. This act confirmed his place as the next in line to become the 30th Sultan of Brunei. After the ceremony, a procession was held around the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

To prepare him for his future role as head of state, Al-Muhtadee Billah has worked with many government agencies. These include the Public Service Department, Immigration Department, and various ministries like Finance, Health, and Communications. This training helps him understand how the country works.

Al-Muhtadee Billah visiting a C-130J Hercules in 2005

Since 2004, Al-Muhtadee Billah has been a general in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). He also became the deputy inspector general of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) in 2005. On May 24, 2005, he was appointed as a senior minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He meets with foreign ambassadors and acts as deputy sultan when his father is away. He also attends formal events to practice his public speaking skills. He is also the pro-chancellor of several universities, including Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) since 1998.

Important Leadership Roles

In a government change on May 24, 2005, Al-Muhtadee Billah became the senior minister at the Prime Minister's Office. He also holds several other important positions:

• He has been the chairman of the board of directors for Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) Companies since 2018.
• He has led the Wawasan Brunei Supreme Council since 2014.
• He was the chairman of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) from 2011 to 2020.
• He has been the royal patron of the Heart of Borneo National Council in Brunei since 2011.
• He served as chairman of the National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) from 2006 to 2018.
• He was chairman of the Manpower Planning Council from 2015 to 2019.
• He was the chief scout of the Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei Darussalam (PPNBD) from 2013 to 2018.
• He has been the patron of the Temburong District Development Authority since 2018.

Working with Other Countries

Al-Muhtadee Billah often visits Singapore as part of the Singapore–Brunei Young Leaders' Programme (YLP). In 2019, he met with leaders like President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. These visits help strengthen the close relationship between the two countries. He also visited important places like Changi Naval Base.

Fumio Kishida meeting Al-Muhtadee Billah in 2013

In 2013, Al-Muhtadee Billah was made an Honorary Member of the Special Forces Regiment, RBAF. This was to recognize his leadership and contributions to the RBAF. He also received an honorary Green Beret in Malaysia. In 2014, he visited Indonesia's Special Forces Command (Kopassus) and was also made an Honorary Member there. He spoke about the strong ties between Brunei and Indonesia, especially in defense.

In September 2014, he visited Singapore again for the Singapore–Brunei YLP. During this visit, he received the SAF's Honorary Advanced Combat Skills Badge. He also drove a special military vehicle. These visits show the strong defense cooperation between Brunei and Singapore.

In 2016, during an NDMC meeting, Al-Muhtadee Billah stressed the importance of a national plan to stop the Zika virus from spreading. He said that everyone in the community needs to help government efforts. He thanked Allah for keeping Brunei safe from the global health crisis.

In 2017, Al-Muhtadee Billah and Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister launched a special exhibition. It was called "Abode of Peace & the Lion City: A Brunei-Singapore Exhibition." This exhibition celebrated 50 years of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement. It showed coins, notes, and stamps.

During the ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2021, Al-Muhtadee Billah talked about how important it is for public and private groups to work together. This cooperation helps businesses during the COVID-19 epidemic. He highlighted that the private sector is key to economic recovery.

Charity Work

Al-Muhtadee Billah on his 2023 visit to the Belait District, seen greeting the populace

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah created the Dana Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah for Orphans (DANA). Al-Muhtadee Billah approved the start of DANA in 1998. The DANA Account was officially launched in 1999. Many government and private groups, businesses, and individuals have given money to DANA. For example, on April 2, 2024, three groups gave B$75,381 to DANA.

For Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah gives special gifts (Kurnia) to people in need. These include people with special needs, orphans, and the poor. The Sultan's sons, including Al-Muhtadee Billah, help give out these gifts. Al-Muhtadee Billah agrees to give these gifts to thousands of people in different districts each year.

Personal Life

Interests and Hobbies

Al-Muhtadee Billah and his family at an association football friendly match in 2024

Al-Muhtadee Billah enjoys pool and snooker. He has even played in international championships. He took part in the 2006 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship and the 2008 WPA World Eight-ball Championship. In 2007, he represented Brunei in the World Pool Championship in Manila.

He also owns a football club called the Brunei DPMM FC. He used to play as a goalkeeper for the team himself.

Al-Muhtadee Billah has a collection of cars, including a Ferrari 599 GTB, Mercedes McLaren SLR, and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. People also say he is quite quiet and religious.

Marriage and Children

On September 9, 2004, Al-Muhtadee Billah married 17-year-old Pengiran Anak Sarah. Their wedding took place at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. Many important guests attended, including royalty and leaders from other countries. These included the Duke of Gloucester, the Crown Prince of Japan, and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. Heads of state from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines were also there. The wedding included a special bersanding ceremony. After that, the couple rode around Bandar Seri Begawan in a golden Rolls-Royce.

The royal couple has four children:

• Their first child and future heir, Prince Abdul Muntaqim, was born on March 17, 2007.
• Their second child, a daughter named Princess Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah, was born on January 2, 2011.
• Their third child, a son named Prince Muhammad Aiman, was born on June 7, 2015.
• Their fourth child, a daughter named Princess Faathimah Az-Zahraa' Raihaanul Bolkiah, was born on December 1, 2017.

Titles, Styles and Honours

Titles and Styles

Styles of The Prince of Brunei
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Duli Tuanku

• Since August 10, 1998: Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota

Places Named After Him

Several places and institutions in Brunei are named in his honour:

• Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College, a college in Gadong established in 1974.
• Jalan Putera Al-Muhtadee Billah, a road in Bandar Seri Begawan.
• Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque, a mosque opened in Kampong Sungai Kebun in 1987.
• Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque, a mosque opened in Kampong Tamoi in 1999.
• Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Hospital, a hospital opened in Tutong in 1997.

Awards and Recognitions

Al-Muhtadee Billah wearing his ceremonial dress in 2024

Hassanal Bolkiah alongside Al-Muhtadee Billah and Abdul Malik during BRIDEX 2013

Al-Muhtadee Billah has received several honorary doctorates:

• On September 4, 2006, he received an honorary doctorate in literature from UBD.
• On September 14, 2023, he received an honorary doctorate in technology innovation from UTB. This was for his help in developing UTB as a leader in engineering, business, science, and technology.
• On September 17, 2008, he received an honorary doctorate in Islamic finance from UNISSA. This recognized his leadership in promoting Islamic finance.

These academic honours show his standing and ability. They also help him in his role supporting his father's leadership. He has also received many national honours:

• Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB; 1982)
• Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang First Class (DPKT) – Dato Paduka Seri (2004)
• Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal First Class (PHBS; 1968)
• Proclamation of Independence Medal (1984)
• Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal (1992)
• Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (2017)
• National Day Silver Jubilee Medal (2009)
• Royal Brunei Armed Forces Golden Jubilee Medal (2011)
• Royal Brunei Armed Forces Diamond Jubilee Medal (2021)
• General Service Medal (Armed Forces)
• General Service Medal (Police)
• Police 75 Years Medal (1996)
• Police 100 Years Medal (2021)
• Honorary Member of the Special Forces Regiment, RBAF (2013)

He has also received several honours from other countries:

•  Jordan:
  • Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (2008)
•  Laos:
  • Lian Kiatikhounh Medal of Honour (2006)
•  Malaysia:
  • Honorary Member of the 21st Special Service Group (2013)
•  Johor:
  • First Class of the Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor (DK I; 2023)
•  Indonesia:
  • Honorary Member of the Kopassus (2014)
  • Honorary Member of the Indonesian Marine Corps (2014)
•  Netherlands:
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (2013)
  • Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal (2013)
•  Philippines:
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Lakandula (2006)
•  Saudi Arabia:
  • First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz (1999)
•  Singapore:
  • Distinguished Service Order (DUBC; 2006)
  • Distinguished Service Order (Military) (DUBC; 2009)
  • Honorary Advanced Combat Skills Badge (2014)
  • Honorary Light Strike Vehicle MK-II Driver's License (2014)
•  United Kingdom:
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO; 1998)

See also

In Spanish: Al-Muhtadee Billah para niños

• List of current heirs apparent