Brunei’s sultan to mark 50 years on throne with lavish festivities in his golden palace

Brunei’s all-powerful sultan will mark 50 years on the throne on Thursday with lavish celebrations including a glittering procession, a 21-gun salute and a ceremony at his vast, golden-domed palace.

The festivities for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah – which will include the monarch being carried past huge crowds of well-wishers in a chariot – are the centrepiece of events to mark his golden jubilee.

The 71-year-old, the world’s second-longest reigning monarch, ascended to the throne of the tiny sultanate on tropical Borneo island in October, 1967.

His decades ruling one of the world’s few absolute monarchies have seen the country gain full independence from Britain and living standards soar to among the highest in the world due to abundant oil and gas reserves.

But the reign of Hassanal, one of the world’s richest men, has also been marked by controversies.

These include the introduction of tough Islamic laws in 2014, and a sensational family feud which revealed details of his brother Prince Jefri Bolkiah’s jet-set lifestyle, including allegations of a high-priced harem and a luxury yacht he owned called “Tits”.