Brunei Princess Zariah Hassanal Bolkiah has died

The Brunei Royal Family has announced the death of Princess Zariah Hassanal Bolkiah, who passed away on October 6, 2026, at the age of 74. The Princess was the younger sister of Queen Saleha and the wife of Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the brother of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Princess Zariah died just three days after her 74th birthday. She leaves behind her husband, with whom she was married for 56 years, and ten children. The Sultan honored his sister-in-law via social media, describing her as leaving behind a life of valuable memories.

In accordance with royal traditions, the Sultan and Queen Saleha attended funeral rites at the Royal Mausoleum, where they performed the ceremonial water pouring known as Aying Asah-Asahan. The loss occurs during a period of internal scrutiny for the House of Bolkiah following recent controversies regarding royal titles.