ISTANA GARDENS; PRINCESS AND PRINCE; BRIDE AND GROOM LEAVE CEREMONY; GUESTS FOLLOW COUPLE.




Initials PW/VS/JH/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE TINY BRITISH PROTECTORATE OF BRUNEI, IN THE ISLAND OF BORNEO, WAS IN FESTIVE MOOD LAST WEEK FOR THE WEDDING OF A PRINCESS AND A PRINCE AT THE ISTANA - PALACE - GROUNDS.

BEING MARRIED WERE PRINCESS ANAK PUTERI NORAIN, AGED 19, THE DAUGHTER OF THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI, AND HER FIRST COUSIN, PRINCE ANAK MAHAMMED YUSOF. MORE THAN A THOUSAND GUESTS CRAMMED THE PALACE GROUNDS TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY.

IN THE MIDST OF WAITING GUESTS, THE PRINCESS WAS LED IN BY THE ELDERS TO THE CHANTING OF RELIGIOUS ELDERS. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE SULTAN, 50-YEAR-OLD SIR OMAR ALI SAIFFUDIN, BROUGHT THE BRIDEGROOM IN AND TOUCHED THE BRIDE GENTLY TO GIVE PUBLIC CONSENT TO THE MARRIAGE, AS THE COUPLE SAT ON THE WEDDING THRONE.

THEN, TO THE BEATING OF GONGS, THE COUPLE WERE LED OUT TO A SPECIALLY DECORATED CAR, ACCOMPANIED BY SWORDSMEN AND SPEAR-CARRIERS. AS THEY DROVE INTO BRUNEI TOWN, DRUMMERS WENT AHEAD AND ANNOUNCED THEIR ARRIVAL AND THE FOUR-MILE PROCESSION PASSED THROUGH THOUSANDS OF FLAG-WAVING CHILDREN AND EXCITED VILLAGERS WHO LINED THE ROUTE.

MANY OF THE SPECTATORS WERE WATER-PEOPLE FROM THE KAMPONG AYER, THE HOUSES-ON-STILTS SETTLEMENT IN THE BRUNEI RIVER.