The queen celebrated her 80th birthday with formal festivities in Bandar Seri Begawan from Oct. 24 to 31, according to Borneo Bulletin. She wore a silk baju kurung with diamond accessories, while a ceremonial cake featured real gold, pearls and precious stones.
The wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and the world’s longest-serving queen consort, Saleha is known for her exceptional gemstones and custom designs, according to Tatler.
Among her best-known pieces is a diamond tiara believed to have been made by Graff. Its adaptable structure allows different ornaments to be fitted, including pear-shaped gems, pink and blue diamonds, and a prominent heart-shaped centerpiece.
According to The Royal Watcher, Saleha began wearing the tiara in the early 1990s. It accompanied her to major occasions including the royal couple’s 1992 state visit to Britain, the Sultan’s Silver Jubilee that year and Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah’s wedding in 2004.
By 2013, she had begun wearing it with a large heart-shaped diamond in place of its original central pear-shaped stone. For the Sultan’s Golden Jubilee in 2017, she paired this version with a gold-woven gown, diamond brooches, gemstone bracelets and large diamond rings.
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The Sultan and Queen of Brunei attend the coronation of Malaysia’s King Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2024. Queen Saleha wears the Yellow Diamond Tiara paired with a blue outfit. Photo from Reuters |
Colored gemstones also feature prominently in her collection. One ruby tiara combines faceted stones with large cabochons, whose smooth, rounded surfaces contrast with the surrounding gems. She has worn it at state occasions, including coronations and birthday receptions at Istana Nurul Iman.
Another tiara pairs deep green emeralds with diamonds. Princess Fadzilah borrowed the piece, along with matching royal jewelry, for her wedding celebrations in January 2022, The Times of India reported.
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Queen Saleha wears an emerald tiara at the Sultan’s 60th birthday celebration at Istana Nurul Iman in 2006. Photo by AFP |
Her collection also includes a bespoke Piaget watch in 18-karat white gold. Designed to display five time zones, it is set with amethysts, emeralds, rubies, yellow and blue sapphires, and white diamonds, according to People.
Born in 1946 into a prominent Bruneian noble family, Saleha is the eldest of nine children. She married her cousin, then-Crown Prince Hassanal Bolkiah, in 1965. They have two sons and four daughters.