In real life he’s a prince of an Islamic sultanate steeped in centuries-old traditions, but on Instagram Brunei’s Abdul Mateen is more Hollywood than royalty as he flies in fighter jets, drives speed boats and poses bare-chested after workouts.
Mateen, 32, was one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors until he married his 29-year-old fiancee on Thursday in a male-only ceremony at a mosque in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.
As the 10th child and fourth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, he is unlikely to ever ascend the throne of the oil-rich country on the northern edge of Borneo island.
Yet, Mateen’s matinee idol looks, rippling six-pack and sense of adventure – captured in photos and videos that are carefully curated on Instagram – have turned him into a public relations asset for the royal family, which has been battered by scandals and global censure over the years.
“He’s a breath of fresh air,” said Bruneian snack store worker Amyra Syahira Awang Ahmad, 20, who is among Mateen’s 2.5 million Instagram followers.
A pre-wedding photo of Mateen and his fiancee, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, posted on Instagram on Dec. 31 shows him wearing an open-neck white shirt under a dark, double-breasted blazer, while she is in a cream pantsuit and no hijab.
It drew more than 11,000 comments with some smitten followers lamenting that 2024 was starting with “heartbreak” – a reference to their own rather than the prince’s.
The photo appears to be part of an effort to burnish a more modern image of the conservative country – and make the royal family relevant to a younger generation of Bruneians that has grown up on social media.
“Prince Mateen would be what I describe as an important youth change-maker in Brunei society,” said Mustafa Izzuddin, a visiting professor of international relations at the Islamic University of Indonesia.
“You can call him a cultural Instagrammer because he is adept at connecting with the younger folk,” he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“The current generation have different interests, values and preferences.”
Winning hearts, minds
Mateen, who often accompanies his father on official visits abroad wearing Western-style suits, appears to be leading the way in winning over young hearts and minds.
His public profile has exploded on Instagram with posts showing him playing polo, boxing in a ring, dabbling in photography and posing in military uniform.
One video shows the prince – who is a helicopter pilot in his country’s air force and also trained in the special forces – flying in a F/A 18 Super Hornet warplane.
It generated more than 250,000 likes and a comparison to “Top Gun” star Tom Cruise.
Other photos of Mateen’s well-chiseled upper body have drawn as many as more than half a million likes – and countless heart and lovestruck emojis.
“Hi James Bond 007!” one admirer commented on a photo of Mateen walking bare-chested on a beach, with a Jet Ski and speedboat visible in the background.
University student Nazatul Izzati Saifulrizal, 19, proudly showed AFP a selfie she took with the prince, who she described as down-to-earth.
“He asked me about my studies … he asked about my family background,” she said, adding she felt “touched” by the gesture.
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