Yes! Humera, that was definitely the case. The Queen definitely has objections upon her husband taking another wife especially after what had happened to the ex-wife. The Queen was very happy to have had her husband to herself after he divorced Hjh Mariam. But I did notice last year that her happiness changed again when I attended a royal function. I just hope the new 2nd wife would just leave the royal duties to the Queen & just stay out of the limelight.

I think the Queen seemed so happy at the CP's wedding. There were so many pictures of her and the sultan talking and smiling at each other. Its too bad it didnt last long.
I hope too, alfie, that the new wife has no real offical role. And I think the sultan will respect his first wife's position as Queen. It would be really odd if she had to share a position that has been rightfully hers for decades.

will the new lady have kids?

I bet she does want kids Reina. She is only 26 yrs old.

.. and that will strenghten her position/relationship with Sultan .... and in case anything happened to him or marriage, the "bulk" will be much bigger ......

I wish the Sultan would have thought twice about htis. Now after successfully rasing alot of kids, he has to raise more? And in his older age. This lady was pretyy enough to marry someone younger. He shoudl have given her to one of his sons or brothers.

i was thinking the sultan should think about the marriages of his own daughters. Some of them are older than his new bride. His kids are his responsibility first.

that much i suspected too. I doubt any of his kids are happy about this.

The Queen didnt find out until after he was married? I cant believe it.
I hope God gives her the strength to get through this. Knowing that her family and her country are on her side will make things somewhat easier. I never realized I'd be so worried about her in a situation such as this.
I also hope all of this will be a lesson to the Crown Prince, his mother's pain, his family and country's dissapointment should be enough for him to never do something like this to his own wife.
Lastly, I have avoided saying anything about the bride. But I wonder at any woman who can be a part of something so deceitful and sneaky.

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors with the family and especially a husband and wife, any comments regarding that are pure speculation. I would like to think that the Sultan and his wives respect, honor, love and support one another. When Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed were married there was a lot of "how could they?!" and pics of them show that they are both very happy together. I hope in time this too will prove that the Sultan is very happy and content with his decision to take another wife and that the family and public will see and respect his choice.

If in fact the Sultan did not inform anyone of his plans to marry, then there was obviously a break in the perceived closness that was shared, all the more reason to take another wife. Again, I wish them all well and a lifetime of happiness.

actually it doesnt really matter what one choses to believe personally.
Brunei is a very tiny nation and while the media may be controlled by the Sultan, the affairs of the royal family aren't hidden from its citizens. That should be evident from all the comments of the members who are from the region and know the royal family well. There are members here who see the royals in person often, who go to school with them, know people who work at the royal palace etc. Each and every one of them has had the same reaction and comments about the marriage.
In such a small community it would be impossible keep things private.
Sheikh Muhammad and Princess Haya's situation is different. They didnt act all sneaky about their marriage.
Besides, if there was a "break" in closeness how do you know it wasn't the Sultan's fault? And how can you think that it justifies a man marry another woman? without even informing his wife? I find that appalling.
The Sultan and some of his brothers are known womanizers. Or do you not happen to know about the foreign women being smuggled to their harems?
Hjh Mariam was the Sultan's wife for more than 20 years before he divorced her because the family and others werent happy with her role. And then soon after the Sultan's eye started roving again. Does that sound like a man who was ever close with his first wife?
Queen Saleha must indeed be a strong woman to have put up with this for so long.

If household people claimed to have known that the Sultan was having a relationship, and others claimed to have known from tailors and such that he was planning to marry. Surely his wife was aware, they may live separate lives but certainly aren't that distant from one another that his wife was taken by surprise. And, if in fact he did not tell her, then there is definitely a break down in communication and they are more distant than even most friends. His father had more than one wife at a time; like father like son.

There are many reasons under Islamic law that a man can take another wife, he does not always need the permission of his first wife. Besides, he is the Sultan, he makes the rules in his country and in his family.

is there any pics of the new wife and teh ceremony???

the fact that he makes the rule doesnt make it right. His rules seem to have no regard for religion, society, family. There are very strict conditions for polygamy under Islamic law. Its not meant to be something a man does to selfishly please his ego.
I suppose you might have a different view of things because such things a common among many royals of the ME and in the region in general. Im always amazed how women can defend such actions. I doubt they'd feel the same if something like this happened to them.

there are no pics of the ceremony but pictures of the bride are in the Sultan's own thread.

Its horrible that the Queen's grandkids have to see all of this happen. She seems like such an affectionate grandmother, always holding her grand-daughters' hands in pictures. Do you know how the Crown Prince is reacting to this?

I know that the Malaysian PM has started his visit to Brunei. In the pictures so far I didnt see his wife accompany him. Do you know if that was done purposely so that Queen Saleha wouldnt have to make an appearance to welcome her? I was reading an article which mentioned that the Sultan will host a dinner for the PM but its not a banquet at the palace.

the reason why Malaysian PM went without his wife is because of her undergoing chemotherapy treatment for her breast cancer in one of the hospital in US. I also eager to see Q Saleha in public .....

Yes! it is..Queen Saleha is being supported by all her love ones at this time in need. The Crown Prince and his siblings are very supportive and caring of their mother, he was very upset. Good thing is now he have a loving and supportive wife by his side to help him through all this.

The Malaysian PM visit is on a working visit and not a state visit, that is also why his wife did not have to accompany him on this visit. I.E: a short visit, discussing matters of state. Because it is not a state visit, that is why they did not have a banquet at the palace. The dinner was at Empire Hotel last night. The Crown Prince and Prince Mohammad also attended.

thanx for the info.
I hope the Queen will be okay and we'll see her in public soon

All sultan's wifes have the title of queen or only queen saleha?