Sultan of Brunei's daughter Princess Fadzilah weds in lavish 10-day ceremony


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

Princess Fadzilah Lubabul, the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei, has married her Iraqi partner, Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi, in a lavish 10-day ceremony in Brunei.

Princess Fadzilah, 36, is one of the Sultan of Brunei's 12 children. He has seven daughters and five sons; one son, Prince Azim, died in 2020 aged 38.

Little is known about Al-Hashimi, who has been described in Brunei media as a "handsome foreigner". His father is academic Nabil Al-Hashem who has been a professor at the University of Brunei for 19 years, according to the BBC.

The princess lives mostly out of the public eye, but she is captain of the Brunei netball team and graduated from Kingston University London, England with a degree in international studies in 2008. She later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Hult International Business School.

The 10-day celebration began on January 16, when the Sultan of Brunei gave the couple his blessings. On January 20, a religious ceremony was held at the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei.

A ceremony was held at Brunei’s royal palace last Sunday, with celebrations running until Tuesday.

Princess Fadzilah is the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei and his second wife, Hajah Mariam, who he divorced in 2003.

Her brother, Prince Mateen, 30, is a polo player and serves in the Royal Brunei Air Force. He has an Instagram following of 2.3 million and shared photos from various celebrations, including the berbedak ceremony, when the bride and groom are blessed by family members, and the palace festivities.

"Congratulations to the newlyweds," Prince Mateen wrote. "I’m so happy for the both of you. Big love to my beautiful sister."

In the images shared by Prince Mateen on January 24, Princess Fadzilah and Al-Hashimi are wearing matching embellished white brocade garments. It has been reported that Princess Fadzilah wore a diamond tiara and a diamond and pearl necklace borrowed from her stepmother, the Queen of Brunei. The pieces were also worn by Princess Majeedah for her wedding in 2007.

The specs

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The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs

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Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
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iPhone XR
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Apple Watch Series 4
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

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Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
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• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

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ICC Awards for 2021

MEN

Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)

WOMEN

Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)

Company profile

Name: Tratok Portal

Founded: 2017

Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

Size: 36 employees

Funding: Privately funded

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

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3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

Indika
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Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Updated: January 28, 2022, 9:31 AM`