Former Miss Moscow reveals first official photos of marriage to former Malaysian king
(The Telegraph) – A former Miss Moscow who married the King of Malaysia has posted the first official photos of their wedding on social media, breaking the couple’s public silence six months after rumours of their nuptials went viral globally when the monarch abdicated in January.
Rihana Oksana Petra revealed she met the Malaysian king in Europe in 201725, opted for Instagram over a glossy celebrity magazine to showcase glamourous photos of her double wedding ceremonies in Malaysia and Russia to Sultan Mohammad V Faris Petra, 49.
She also posted the first picture of their baby boy, Tengku Ismail Leon, who was born in May, alongside photos taken during her pregnancy, which she described as “the most difficult period in my life” after spending the last three months in hospital.
Rumours of their marriage broke on social media last year and began to gain traction internationally early this year during the king’s abdication, the first time in Malaysian history that a monarch has stood down since the country gained independence from the UK in 1957.
However, the Istana Negara, the monarch’s residence, made no official statement about the newlyweds and the palace offered no reasons for the king’s historic decision to leave the throne, simply saying that he had been grateful for the opportunity given to him by the Council of Rulers.
Rihana Oksana Petra revealed she met the Malaysian king in Europe in 2017
“His Highness has worked towards fulfilling his responsibilities entrusted to him as the head of state, serving as a pillar of stability, source of justice, the core of unity … for the people,” read a statement.
In her first post in the Instagram account created in early June, Rihana, a former beauty queen who converted to Islam for her new husband, says she is now “happy to share the moments of my life” with her followers.
Writing in Russian, English and Malay, she clears up the mystery of how the couple first got together.
The couple had an Islamic wedding in Malaysia before a glamourous ceremony in Moscow
“We met in spring 2017 in Europe. At that time I cooperated with our common friend jeweler Jacob Arabo. After the event, we went for dinner, where I met a man, and he introduced himself as the king of Malaysia,” she wrote.
“I took it as a joke and joked back that I was also the queen of Moscow. We talked all evening and exchanged phone numbers.”
According to Russian media reports, the couple tied the knot at a lavish ceremony at the Barvikha concert hall in Moscow.
Instagram photos show the bride in an elegant wedding dress decorated with delicate lace flowers, while the groom is clad in royal blue national robes.
Earlier this year, the Malaysian press reported tensions between the palace and the government. Malaysia has nine royal households, who take turns to sit on the throne. King Mohammad V, who began his reign in December 2016, was expected to rule until December 2021.
