Tunku Mahkota of Johor weds Khaleeda

The Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, 30, has tied to knot with Cik Khaleeda Bustamam, 21, in a private ceremony at Istana Bukit Serene, Johor Bahru on Friday.

The solemnisation was conducted by the Johor Mufti, Datuk Mohd Tahrir Samsudin after the engagement ceremony.

Tunku Ismail was seen entering Istana Bukit Serene at 10am, accompanied by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and Raja Zarith Sofia Sultan Idris Shah.

The reception ceremony meanwhile will be held on November 8 at the Istana Besar Johor steeped in Johor royal and military tradition, and is expected to be attended by 1,200 guests from within and outside the country.

Among those expected to attend are the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the Johor state executive councillors and Johor state assemblymen.

The proceedings on November 8 will also be shown live on large screens at Dataran Bandaraya in Johor Baharu.

Before the ceremony, the royal couple would ride in an open-top car from Istana Bukit Serene to Istana Besar.

The Tunku Mahkota of Johor, who was born on June 30, 1984, in Johor Baharu, is the eldest of six children.

He received his early education in Johor Baharu before pursuing his studies at the Australian International School, Singapore, in 1999 and Hale School in Perth, Australia.

From July 17, 2003 to Dec 11, 2004, Tunku Ismail underwent military training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, India and was commissioned as a lieutenant.

Tunku Ismail created history when he became the first foreigner to lead the Cavalry Regiment of the Indian Army to salute Indian President, APJ Abdul Kalam, in conjunction with India’s 58th National Day on Jan 20, 2007.

Cik Khaleeda meanwhile was born on July 16, 1993 in Kuala Lumpur and is the youngest of five siblings.

She obtained her early education at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Taman Seri Gombak before pursuing her secondary education at St George’s Hanover Square and Westminister Academy in London.

She then continued her studies at Sekolah Sri Utama, Kuala Lumpur and obtained her Malaysian Education Certificate (SPM) in 2010.