Bolkiah, Muda Hassanal (1946– )

Sultan of Brunei from 1967, following the abdication of his father, Omar Ali Saifuddin (1916–1986). As absolute ruler, Bolkiah also assumed the posts of prime minister and defence minister on independence in 1984.

As head of an oil- and gas-rich microstate, in 1998 the sultan was reputedly the world's third richest individual, with an estimated total wealth of £22 billion/$36 billion, which includes the Dorchester and Beverly Hills hotels in London and Los Angeles and the world's largest palace. He was educated at Sandhurst, a British military academy.