Prince Mateen of Brunei: How close was he to Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim? A look at his lavish lifestyle and net worth
Born with a silver spoon, Abdul Mateen is the tenth child and fourth son of His Majesty Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei. The shocking death of HRH Prince Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim, second eldest son of Brunei’s monarch, was announced on October 24, 2020 and his family soon came into focus. The official announcement said, "Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah's son Prince Haji ‘Abdul ‘Azim passed away on 17th of Rabi ul Awal at 10:08 am local time."
Immensely popular for flaunting his lavish lifestyle on Instagram, Mateen has gained over two million followers. The Prince of Burnei — a small Asian nation located on the island of Borneo — calls himself the ‘father of tigers’ as he is fond of white tiger cubs and ocelots and posts pictures of his pet tiger cubs quite often. Did you know he is also a trained pilot and soldier? The prince holds the rank of second lieutenant, which he earned in 2011 at the commissioning officer course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in the UK.
Born on August 10, 1991, he was the younger brother of Prince 'Azim, but how close was he to him? Mateen often posted pictures with his elder brother. In one Instagram photo, he wished him a happy birthday and wrote, "A big happy birthday to my brother - lots of love." The flamboyant parties that 'Azim hosted had the attendance of Hollywood's A-list celebrities and Mateen was a frequent guest. As the country is in mourning for seven days, Mateen has not yet released an official statement yet. Let's take a glimpse of his luxurious life and net worth.
Who is Prince Mateen?
Prince Mateen was born to the Sultan of Brunei by his former second wife, Puan Mariam binti Abdul Aziz, who is half Bruneian, a quarter Japanese and a quarter English. The pair divorced in 2003. In Malay, his full title is Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Mateen ibni Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
He studied at St Andrew’s school and completed his secondary education at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College and Jerudong International School. In May 2010, he was sent to Commissioning Course for Regular Army Officers along with 200 recruits in Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and he graduated as an officer cadet of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst a year later. He was soon promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant.
He got his Bachelor of Arts in International Politics from King's College London in 2014 and was awarded a Master of Arts in 2016 from The University of London. In March 2018, Prince ‘Abdul Mateen was qualified as a helicopter pilot in Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury. His father HM Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei awarded him an RAF Wing Badge.
A sports buff and a guitarist
It's quite interesting to know that Prince Mateen is a sports enthusiast. Not only does he enjoy athletic pursuits like snorkeling, skydiving, golfing, skiing, rowing, boxing, badminton, polo and horseback riding, but he also represented Brunei at the Southeast Asian Games that were held in Malaysia in 2017, competing alongside his sister Princess ‘Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah.
When he is not outdoors, he also likes to play the guitar among several other musical instruments. According to a 2016 interview in GQ Thailand, he opened up about how humble he is despite an upbringing in the lap of luxury. At 24, he said that it’s important to remain “grounded” and he credited his three closest friends with keeping him down to earth. Instead, he is “more interested in the simple life, his passions, time with family and friends, and his other noble pursuits.”
The prince, who turned 29 this August, is looking for a suitable girl and in the interview, he confessed to what attracts him. “I would say someone who is genuine and real. Someone who is very simple, that’s what I like,” he told GQ.
What is his net worth?
One of five sons and seven daughters, Prince Mateen belongs to a family estimated to be around $28 billion. On Instagram, Mateen often shares his travel pictures where he can be seen in the world's most beautiful spots including faraway deserts and tropical islands. The prince's home in the luxurious Bruneian palace is said to have a total of 1877 rooms adorned with gold, diamonds and silver. A report in Vietnam Times read, "A frequent patron of the tailor shops along the famed street in west London, Prince Mateen owns an enviable wardrobe of quality British tailoring, and is often spotted looking dapper in them."
Ranked among the wealthiest people in the world, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the world’s second longest-reigning monarch after Queen Elizabeth II. A GQ article dated January 2020 noted his net worth to be $28 billion – plenty for his entire brood. A Men's XP report, meanwhile, estimated Mateen's net worth to be in the range of 1 to 5 million dollars approximately.