Princess Masna Bolkiah

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Omar Ali Saifuddien III is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Masna Bolkiah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Masna Bolkiah binti Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 6 September 1948) is the sister of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Princess Masna Bolkiah is considered the third most important living woman in Brunei Darussalam after Queen Saleha and Crown Princess Sarah.^[1]

Masna Bolkiah مسنا بولكيه
Masna Bolkiah in 2019
Born	(1948-09-06) 6 September 1948 (age 76) Istana Darussalam, Brunei Town, British Protectorate of Brunei
Spouse	Prince Abdul Rahman ​ ​ (m. 1965, divorced)​ Pengiran Anak Abdul Aziz ​ ​ (m. 1969)​
Issue	List Pengiran Anak Abdul Wadood Bolkiah Pengiran Anak Mohammed Al-Mokhtar Pengiran Anak Abdul 'Ali Yil-Kabier Pengiran Anak Ameenah Bushral Bulqiah Pengiran Anak Abdul Quddus
Names Masna Bolkiah binti Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien Regnal name Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna binti Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien
House	Bolkiah
Father	Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Mother	Pengiran Anak Damit
Occupation	Diplomat
Alma mater	Universiti Brunei Darussalam (BA; MPP)

Early life and education

Pengiran Anak Puteri (Princess) Masna Bolkiah was born at Istana Darussalam, Brunei Town on 6 September 1948.^[2] Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Prince Sufri Bolkiah, and Prince Jefri Bolkiah are her four brothers, while Princess Nor'ain Bolkiah, Princess Umi Kalthum Al-Islam Bolkiah, Princess Amal Rakiah Bolkiah, Princess Amal Nasibah Bolkiah, and Princess Amal Jefriah Bolkiah are his five sisters.^[3]

In an interview, Abdul Ghani bin Jamil disclosed that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Princess Masna Bolkiah, Princess Nor'ain, Pengiran Anak Saleha, Pengiran Muda Abdul Rahman, Pengiran Anak Yusof, Pengiran Anak Puteh, Pengiran Anak Ja'afar, and Pengiran Muda Apong were students at the Istana Darul Hana Surau.^[4]

Masna Bolkiah graduated from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) with first class honours in BA (Hons) in Public Policy and Administration and a has a Masters in Public Policy also from the UBD.^[5] In 1995, she was appointed as the Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she led a number of delegations abroad both as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Ambassador-at-large.^[5] She is also active in other areas including being the Patron for the Girl Guides Association as well as being Commander of the Women's Police Corps.^[6]

Diplomatic career

Timeline of her career as a diplomat:^[5]

• 1995: Ambassador-at-Large and Second in Command of the Foreign Affairs
• 1997: Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 1998: (March–April) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 1999: Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 2000: (November) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (Head of the APEC Summit)
• 2001: Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (Head of Delegation to ASEM Summit)
• 2002: (January) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 2003: (June) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (Head of Delegation to ASEAN Summit)
• 2004: (June/July) Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (Head of Delegation to ASEAN Summit)
• 2010: Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade^[7]

Marriage and children

Princess Masna was first married to Pengiran Muda (Prince) Abdul Rahman ibni Pengiran Anak Muhammad Hashim in 1965 but would later be divorced in an unknown date.^[8] She would be married for the second time with Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar at Istana Darul Hana in October 1969,^[9][10] of whom she had five children with:

• Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Wadood Bolkiah^[11] married Y.M. Pengiran Seti Aminah binti Pengiran Othman
• Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammed Al-Mokhtar^[12]
• Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul 'Ali Yil-Kabier,^[13] married Pengiran Anak Hamidah Jamalul Bulqiah^[14]
• Pengiran Anak Hajah Ameenah Bushral Bulqiah^[15]
• Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Quddus,^[16] married Y.M. Pengiran Ratna Siti Nooraishah binti Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Hamzah.

On 26 September 2011, Abdul Rahman Hashim passed away at the age of 65, approximately 11am at the RIPAS Hospital and would be buried at the Royal Mausoleum.^[17]

Legacy

Namesakes

• Sekolah Ugama Pengiran Anak Puteri Masna Bolkiah, in religious school, Kampong Beribi

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Bruneian Royal Family by country

She has been awarded :

National

• Family Order of Laila Utama (DK; 28 October 1970)^[18]
• Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB)
• Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Medal (PHBS; 1 August 1968)
• Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal (5 October 1992)
• Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (5 October 2017)
• Proclamation of Independence Medal (1 January 1984)
• General Service Medal (Police)
• Police 75 Years Medal (1996)
• Police 100 Years Medal (2021)

Foreign

• Thailand :
  • Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant (MPCh (GCE); 26 August 2002)^[19][20]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Masna Bolkiah

16. Omar Ali Saifuddien II 8. Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin 17. Zaida binti Pengarah Digadong Tuan Laman Awang Sulaiman 4. Muhammad Jamalul Alam II 18. Pengiran Anak Saiful Rijal (= 10) 9. Pengiran Siti Fatima 19. Pian Jamaliah (= 11) 2. Omar Ali Saifuddien III 20. Pengiran Anak Muhammad Yusuf 10. Pengiran Anak Saiful Rijal 21. Pengiran Anak Sarbanum 5. Pengiran Anak Fatima 11. Pian Jamaliah 1. Masna Bolkiah 24. Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin (= 8) 12. Pengiran Muda Besar Omar 25. Pengiran Anak Chandra Kesuma 6. Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman 26. Pengiran Muda Besar Muhammad Jamalul Alam 13. Pengiran Anak Siti Khadija 27. Pengiran Anak Saleha 3. Pengiran Anak Damit 28. Radin Haji Muhammad Daud 14. Radin Haji Hassan 29. Hajah Saleha 7. Pengiran Fatima 30. Radin Haji Abdul Rahman 15. Hajah Zainab 31. Dayang Siti Amina Mekah