Queen Damit of Brunei

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Abdul Rahman is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Damit. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Damit
داميت
Pengiran Anak Damit in c. 1967
Queen consort of Brunei
Tenure4 June 1950 – 5 October 1967
Installation31 May 1951
Born1924
Kampong Masjid Lama, Brunei Town, Brunei
Died13 September 1979(1979-09-13) (aged 55)
Istana Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Burial14 September 1979
Kubah Makam Di Raja, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1941)​
Issue
List
Regnal name
Pengiran Anak Damit binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Bendahara Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman
HouseBolkiah
FatherPengiran Anak Abdul Rahman
MotherPengiran Fatimah
ReligionSunni Islam

Pengiran Anak Damit (1924 – 13 September 1979) was the Queen of Brunei as the wife of the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddien III.[1]

Early life

Pengiran Anak Damit was born in 1924, in Kampong Masjid Lama, Brunei Town, Brunei.[2] She was the oldest child of Pengiran Hajah Fatimah binti Radin Haji Hassan and Pengiran Bendahara Sri Maharaja Permasuara Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman ibni Pengiran Bendahara Pengiran Muda Omar Ali Junied. His father was Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin's grandson. She received a private education in the palace.[3]

Roles

Pengiran Anak Damit was married to her cousin, then Sultan Omar Ali Saiduddien III. The wedding ceremony took place at Istana Banderung Kayangan on 6 September 1941.[4] The Japanese Army would land in Kuala Belait six months later, resulting in the Japanese occupation of Brunei. Throughout her position, she had raised awareness on issues faced by the community and residents of the country. Her public image was well received among the general public, especially women, after she tagged alongside her husband to several state visits as a government official.[2]

Pengiran Anak Damit and her husband onboard HMS Puncheston in 1965

On 15 July 1947, Damit's husband became a wazir which put more responsibilities on her. On 6 June 1951, she was given the title Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri following her husband's accession to the throne of Brunei. On 15 May 1958, she officially opened the Raja Isteri Fatimah Malay School. In February 1965, her husband alongside her visited HMS Puncheston (M1174). In conjunction to the visit of Earl Mountbatten later that month, she attended the celebration at Istana Darul Hana. Pengiran Anak Damit became Paduka Seri Suri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit on 1 August 1968, following the abdication of her spouse in 1967. In 1972, Pengiran Anak Damit alongside her husband greeted the Duke of Edinburgh at Istana Darul Hana, while he was on a visit to Brunei.[5] Three years later, she was present during Duchess of Kent's state visit to the country.[2]

Death and funeral

At 13:20 13 September 1979, Pengiran Anak Damit passed away, aged 55 years old, in Bandar Seri Begawan's Kampong Sumbiling Lama at the Istana Darussalam. The Pehin Ismail-led funeral was held at Istana Darul Hana which would last from the day she died to the following day. The death was first reported and announced in the evening by her brother, Pengiran Anak Mohammad Alam. At 11:30 on the 14th, her body was carried by three princes and her son-in-law into a hearse, which would depart for Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Under the drizzling rain, the casket was carried into the mosque while waiting for the obligatory Friday prayer and funeral prayer.[6]

There were live television broadcasting for the people, with some listening at home. Following this, all television and radio were cancelled to make way for a day of mourning. Prince Mohamed Bolkiah leading his two sisters and brothers-in-law in carrying her casket onto a unique stretcher, which would be pulled by Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) officers and Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (RBMR) soldiers. Through Batu Satu, her body was interred at the Kubah Makam Di Raja.[3] Maghrib prayer continued to be held until the 22nd. In addition, flags must be flown at half-mast for a total of 30 days since the day of her death.[6]

Foreign leaders and government officials who had sent their condolences or in attendance were:[6]

Personal life

Family of Pengiran Anak Damit in 1965

Family

Pengiran Anak Damit is born in 1924, to Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman and Pengiran Fatimah. A vizier's daughter. Her father served as Pengiran Bendahara for 25 years, starting in 1918 and ending in his death during the Japanese occupation.[7] Additionally, she is the sister of Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam, Pengiran Anak Omar Ali,[7] Pengiran Anak Siti Kula,[8] Pengiran Anak Mohammad,[9] and Pengiran Muda Hashim. She is the great-granddaughter of Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin.[8]

Issue

Pengiran Anak Damit and Omar Ali Saifuddien had ten children together (4 princes and 6 princesses);[3]

Styles of
Queen of Brunei
Reference styleHer Majesty
Spoken styleYour Majesty
Alternative styleDuli Raja Isteri

Things named after her

Suri Seri Begawan Raja Pengiran Anak Damit Mosque

Honours

National

Main article: Orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei

Foreign

  • Sultan Ibrahim Diamond Jubilee Medal (1955)

References

  1. ^ Hussainmiya, Bachamiya Abdul (1995). Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III and Britain: The Making of Brunei Darussalam. Oxford University Press. pp. xxii. ISBN 978-967-65-3106-3.
  2. ^ a b c "Antara kegiatan Almarhumah D.Y.T.M. Paduka Suri Seri Begawan Raja di-masa hayat baginda" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 19 September 1979. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c A.i.l (12 April 2016). "WARISAN RAJA & PERMAISURI MELAYU: Ayahanda dan Bonda Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah". WARISAN RAJA & PERMAISURI MELAYU. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  4. ^ Utama.), Haji Awang Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri (Pehin Orang Kaya Amar Diraja Dato Seri (1987). Penyair diraja: Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairil Waddien (in Malay). Pusat Sejarah Brunei. p. 15.
  5. ^ Brunei Darussalam-United Kingdom Relationship Exhibition. Brunei Museums Department. 2010. ISBN 978-99917-30-40-0.
  6. ^ a b c "Jenazah Almarhumah DYTM Paduka Suri Seri Begawan Raja selamat di-makamkan di-Kubah Makam Diraja" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 19 September 1979. pp. 1, 16. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Negara Brunei Darussalam: obituary 2013 with supplementary obituary 2002-2010. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Negara Brunei Darussalam: obituary 2007. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Sultanate - News | Negara Brunei Darussalam | His Majesty attends funeral of a Cheteria". www.sultanate.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  10. ^ The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2014. Oxford Business Group. 4 December 2014. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-910068-15-1.
  11. ^ "SenaraiMasjid - Masjid Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit, Mukim Kilanas". www.kheu.gov.bn. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Laman Utama - Senarai Sekolah Arab". www.kheu.gov.bn. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  13. ^ Haji Jait, Samle (7 March 2005). "Keberangkatan lawatan ke STPRI dan RIF" (PDF). Pelita Brunei (in Malay). pp. 1 and 3. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  14. ^ Ghodse, Hamid (2011). International Perspectives on Mental Health. RCPsych Publications. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-908020-00-0.
  15. ^ "Web Map". Survey Department. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  16. ^ Brunei Government Gazette (PDF). Brunei History Centre. 1 February 1951. p. 14.
Royal titles
Preceded by Queen consort of Brunei
1941–1967 		Succeeded by