The king’s installation was last week. (I wrote this earlier, remember...) This is not an event I would normally get fascinated with and never actually bothered to watch on tv but this time I decided to check it out. Nope, I am not from Trengganu although I love the Majesty’s home state but I had other reasons. His younger brother is a good friend so there is this distant sense of “connection” laa.
Hubby and I knew the brother when we were students in the States and we have remained friends up to this day. The day we found out who he is, then a son of a sultan, is still fresh in my memory. A common friend who knew his background made me ask him what his father does and so I did, and he answered, “ he’s in business”. Yea, right..
He was, and still is, completely un-assuming and very down to earth. Not at all pretentious. Most times he is totally oblivious about his regal background. The older brother, now Your Majesty, appears to be similar. The write ups about him coming in to work at 9 at the Istana, wanting to do away with late nights so people can go back to their families, still eager to be a “regular guy” and participate in his favourite sports, are all traits of his siblings. Similar to that friend of ours, the few of his siblings that I had the pleasure of meeting all appear to share those qualities, very simple and never intimidating.
Actually, from what I hear from my bil who because of his line of work had to take care of the Brunei loyalty whilst they were in town for the installation, the Malaysian who planted herself in the midst of all that Bruneian pageantry appears to be waited on hand and foot and comes across as larger than life, unlike our new King and Queen who seem regal and stately without being ostentatious.
Anyhow, given that scenario, we decided to follow the installation this time around. The next day, with all the buntings along the roads, my precious asked me, “Mom, where does the King live?” In a palace, I said. “Oh boy, does the palace have a drawbridge??” Nope sweetie, there is no drawbridge. “How bout knights mom?” Nope, no knights either. “Dragons?” No, no dragons..
Hah, such is the imagination of my child..that a king lives in this palatial mansion, secured by knights and dragons and surrounded by a body of water with a moat in place..! Too much tv huh…?
In any case, it’s good to know that the King is not all about pomp and protocol. And oh my...I must say we have got one pretty Queen up on the throne yea?
Hubby and I knew the brother when we were students in the States and we have remained friends up to this day. The day we found out who he is, then a son of a sultan, is still fresh in my memory. A common friend who knew his background made me ask him what his father does and so I did, and he answered, “ he’s in business”. Yea, right..
He was, and still is, completely un-assuming and very down to earth. Not at all pretentious. Most times he is totally oblivious about his regal background. The older brother, now Your Majesty, appears to be similar. The write ups about him coming in to work at 9 at the Istana, wanting to do away with late nights so people can go back to their families, still eager to be a “regular guy” and participate in his favourite sports, are all traits of his siblings. Similar to that friend of ours, the few of his siblings that I had the pleasure of meeting all appear to share those qualities, very simple and never intimidating.
Actually, from what I hear from my bil who because of his line of work had to take care of the Brunei loyalty whilst they were in town for the installation, the Malaysian who planted herself in the midst of all that Bruneian pageantry appears to be waited on hand and foot and comes across as larger than life, unlike our new King and Queen who seem regal and stately without being ostentatious.
Anyhow, given that scenario, we decided to follow the installation this time around. The next day, with all the buntings along the roads, my precious asked me, “Mom, where does the King live?” In a palace, I said. “Oh boy, does the palace have a drawbridge??” Nope sweetie, there is no drawbridge. “How bout knights mom?” Nope, no knights either. “Dragons?” No, no dragons..
Hah, such is the imagination of my child..that a king lives in this palatial mansion, secured by knights and dragons and surrounded by a body of water with a moat in place..! Too much tv huh…?
In any case, it’s good to know that the King is not all about pomp and protocol. And oh my...I must say we have got one pretty Queen up on the throne yea?
No comments:
Post a Comment