The son of the Sultan of Brunei married Dayangku Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah in an opulent ceremony at the monarch's 1,788-room palace.

Prince Abdul Malik, 31, and his 22-year-old bride-to-be, who worked as a systems data analyst and IT instructor, sat next to each other on gilded thrones in the Throne Chamber of the Istana Nural Iman palace for the ceremony.

The bride sported a diamond tiara studded with six teardrop-shaped emeralds. Her bouquet was made of gems, rather than flowers.

She was dripping with jewellery, from head to toe, including a diamond necklace with a central pendant of three emeralds and a matching brooch of emeralds in a diamond setting. Even her Christian Louboutin heels were encrusted with Swarovski crystals, worn with a solid gold ankle bracelet.

The newlyweds changed into evening attire for the wedding banquet with Prince Abdul donning a ceremonial military suit, embellished with diamond epaulettes and collar.

The bride changed into a beaded purple floor-length gown embroidered with silver thread and adorned with a diaphanous veil and diamond tiara, set with rubies and a scarlet gem. She dazzled in a matching necklace decorated with rubies, and a huge diamond and ruby brooch.

Brunei royal wedding
Prince Abdul Malik and Dayangku Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah leave the royal wedding banquet at the Nurul Iman Palace Olivia Harris/Reuters

The wedding, which takes place over a period of 11 days, will end on 15 April, with a ceremony of thanksgiving prayers.