World In Awe As Crown Prince Weds In Majestic Pageantry

Bandar Seri Begawan - The heir to oil-rich Brunei's throne married a half-Swiss commoner in a glittering ceremony attended by government leaders and blue-blooded guests from around the world.

The 58-year-old monarch was reputed to be the world's richest man before the era of technology billionaires, and the guest list was a testament to his powerful global connections.

The bride, who plays basketball and is still in college, is the third child of a Bruneian father and a Swiss nurse, Suzanne Aeby, who met while they were both studying in London in the 1970s.

Brunei's riches and ancient traditions were on full display at the riverside palace's throne chamber, bigger than a football field and adorned in gold and yellow -- the royal colour in Brunei.

Thousands of Bruneians lined the streets from the palace to the city centre for the eight-kilometre (five-mile) procession to welcome the newly-weds.

Schoolchildren in uniforms waved yellow flags as they waited for a glimpse of the couple.

"I'm happy because we don't get a chance to see royalty, especially to see a royal wedding," said Budin Mahmud, a 61-year-old security guard who had been waiting for hours with his two children and eight grandchildren.

"This one is special to me because he is the future king."

Leaders of Brunei's Southeast Asian neighbours came out in force for the culmination of two weeks of wedding rituals which will be capped by a lavish banquet for thousands of guests on Friday.

Singapore, which has close historic links with Brunei, sent a power-packed delegation -- new Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former prime ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew.

They were joined by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Japan's Prince Naruhito attended the wedding but left behind Princess Masako, who is rumored to have suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of pressure to produce a son who would continue Japan's males-only imperial hereditary line.

Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah would be the 30th Sultan in an unbroken chain of succession of male rulers in Brunei's more than 600 years as a Malay Muslim kingdom. -- Courtesy of AFP

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