BY Azlan Othman

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has become the world’s longest reigning monarch since the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II who previously held the title.

Queen Elizabeth II who ruled for over 70 years, died on September 8 in Scotland at age 96.

His Majesty became the Crown Prince in 1961 at the age of 15 and ascended the throne on October 5, 1967, a day after the voluntary abdication of His Majesty’s late father Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam.

His Majesty has ruled the nation for nearly 55 years. With it saw the continuation of the royal genealogy that dates back 600 years when Sultan Muhammad Shah, the first Islamic Sultan of Brunei, held the throne.

Queen Elizabeth II’s reign of 70 years and seven months was the longest of any British monarch in history.

His Majesty King Charles III, is now proclaimed the new King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The second longest reign of the living monarchs, is now occupied by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. She ascended the throne in February 1952 at the age of 25.

The third longest is Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf, who ascended to the throne at the age of 27, who assumed the throne after his grandfather passed away in 1973.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin