He has Hollywood movie star looks, lives the perfect life of yachts, castles and horses, People and GQ line up for his interviews, looks every bit like Prince Charming, he is real and lives in Brunei. Meet Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei, a trained pilot, animal lover and Instagram sensation amongst others – he is the son of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, with a net worth of US$28 billion – Mateen enjoys a luxurious life in one of the richest countries on Earth.
If that comes as a surprise because you were busy keeping a tab on the British royal family and all the drama surrounding Harry and Meghan, it’s time to get you up to speed with the charming, young royals, the blue blood of Asia.
Prince Abdul Mateen, Brunei
2.3M Instagram followers | @tmski
Not much is known about Brunei – a tiny nation of 2200 square miles on the northern shore of the island of Borneo in the South China Sea – but one thing we do know it has a sensational 30-year-old Prince, not shy of flashing his stinking wealth or stylish lifestyle. His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen, the 10th son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the longest-reigning monarch (after Queen Elizabeth II) and Prime Minister of Brunei, is quite the over-sharer on Instagram. From posting shirtless selfies to flying a chopper, riding a horse, cruising the Mediterranean, playing with leopard cubs, wearing insanely expensive watches or just being a handsome soldier in the military – the Prince has amassed a massive 2.3 million following on Instagram at par with some Hollywood celebrities.
With a super-rich father, the apparent estimated net worth is upwards of US$20 billion, the prince lives a pretty incredible, opulent life. A trained helicopter pilot, he earned the rank of second lieutenant after completing a gruelling 44-weeks course at UK’s Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, where he hiked seven mountains within a day during a challenge! His love for sports is well known – an ardent David Beckham fan, he excels in snorkelling, skiing, golfing, boxing, rowing, polo, badminton, amongst others. The royal even represented Brunei at the Southeast Asian Games in 2017.
Queen Jetsun Pema, Bhutan
237k Instagram followers | @queenjetsunpema
In October 2011, the beautiful Jetsun Pema, daughter of a pilot, married the ‘Dragon King’ of Bhutan to become the youngest living queen in the world at the tender age of 21. Often called the “William and Kate of the East”, the royals recently celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. Her husband, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck indulged in PDA at the elaborate celebrations and joined the media to praise his effortlessly elegant wife, “I am very proud of her,” he said to the press. “She is a wonderful human being.”
According to The Washington Post reported that “in one version of events, the two met at a picnic when she was seven and he was 17; she reportedly came up to him and gave him a hug.” The queen’s family ties with the royals go back several generations. Though she’s the daughter of a pilot, her paternal great-grandfather was lord of the eastern province of Tashigang, and her maternal grandfather was the half-brother of the wife of Bhutan’s second king.
Often seen in limelight without a hint of makeup, brandishing her flawlessly radiant complexion, the queen is a mother of two boys, Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel, born in February 2016 and Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck, born right at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Before stepping in the royal life, she studied international relations, psychology, and art history London’s Regent’s University whereas her husband received his education at the Oxford University. The couple share a common love for art.
Maharaja Padmanabh Singh, India
234k followers | @pachojaipur
Padmanabh Singh, the 23-year-old Maharaja from India makes headlines even without intending to. From traipsing in his magnificent palace in Jaipur (India), to hiking the terrains of Machu Picchu or having the time of his life blowing out birthday candles in an enviable Roman castle, the dashing royal knows how to make headlines even without trying. He shot to international intrigue and fame after walking the ramp for Dolce & Gabbaba at the Milan Fashion Week in 2018 – several magazine covers and fashion collaborations later, the polo-playing royal commands the world’s attention.
Fondly called Pacho by friends and family, a name bestowed upon him by his grandmother, Maharani Padmini Devi, Padmanabh Singh’s title is not officially recognised by the Indian government given that the country’s federal parliamentary democratic republic. His love for polo runs in the blood. Pacho’s great-grandfather, Sawai Man Singh II, brought international recognition for India after winning the first Polo World Cup championship held in France in 1957. At just 18, when most teens are recklessly enjoying life, Pacho even after living a life of riches and opulence represented India as the youngest member of a World Cup polo team. A winner of several sporting accolades, the young royal is known to be dedicated and disciplined to a fault and has never missed a day of training in his life.
Queen Rania, Jordan
6.3M followers|@queenrania
Influential in her fashion choices and her advocacy for public health and education, ever since her husband Abdullah II, became the King of Jordan in 1999, the stylish Jordian has been serving us incredibly tasteful looks. Breathtakingly beautiful, the 51-year-old Queen Rania is renowned the world over for her contemporary elegance, unique sartorial style, philanthropy efforts and her open support for the native tradition.
Fluent in Arabic and English, Queen Rania earned a degree in business administration from the American University at Cairo. Before joining the royal ranks, she worked at Citibank and even for Apple Inc in Amman, Jordan but destiny had other plans as she bumped into her future husband then-Prince Abdullah, the son of King Hussein of Jordan and his second wife Princess Muna at a dinner party. Six months of dating and they were engaged.
Princess Sirivannavari Nariratna, Thailand
84.2k followers|@royalworldthailand
The daughter of the current king of Thailand, King Vajiralongkorn, has every accomplishment on her resume – from fashion designing, professional badminton, equestrian accolades to writing love poems – the young princess lives and breathes creativity. Trained in top fashion houses like Armani, Ferragamo, Bulgari and Christian Dior, she’s the designer of her popular namesake label (Sirivannavari) and often regarded as one of the most creative royals in the world. Her badminton team won gold at the prestigious 2005 South Asian Games.