Tuanku Bainun

Background

Tuanku Bainun was born on the 7th of November 1933 in Penang, Malaysia and received her early education at the Saint George’s Girls School, Penang.

Career

She was also the ninth Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen) of Malaysia, the first commoner to be installed as Queen. She is now styled as Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun. She was selected to further her studies at the prestigious Teacher’s Training College, Kirkby, England from 1952 to 1954.

The Sultan was then a Magistrate in Kuala Lumpur, while Tuanku Bainun was teaching at her former school.

She has taught in various schools in Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Raub, Taiping and Kuantan. Upon her husband"s accession to the Perak throne in 1984, she became Raja Permaisuri of Perak with the title of Tuanku.

In Perak, Queens of royal blood are known as Raja Perempuan, while the title of Raja Permaisuri was reserved for commoner consorts. Her Royal Highness was officially proclaimed the Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan on February 19, 1988 in a historic ceremony at Istana Kinta in Ipoh.

Sultan Azlan Shah was selected as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong and during the Oath Taking and Signing Ceremony on April 26, 1989, Tuanku Bainun was proclaimed Raja Permaisuri Agong.

Tuanku Bainun is the first commoner ever to become Queen of Malaysia. Interestingly she was crowned Raja Permaisuri Agong on a new throne made of silver that replaced the ancient wooden throne used by Malaysia"s eight previous Queens of royal blood, adding another first to her crown. They held these titles until the end of Azlan Shah"s term on April 25, 1994.

The royal couple had five children, two princes and three princesses.

The eldest is Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, the current Sultan of Perak. The others are Raja Dato’ Seri Azureen Binti Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, Raja Dato’ Seri Ashman Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, Raja Dato" Seri Eleena Binti Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah and Raja Dato" Seri Yong Sofia Binti Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah.

3 February 1984 - 25 April 1989: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan Tuanku Bainun 26 April 1989 - 25 April 1994: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Bainun 26 April 1994 - 28 May 2014: Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan Tuanku Bainun 29 May 2014 - current: Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun binti Mohd Ali of Perak of Malaysia Foreign.

Achievements

• She was awarded: Perak: Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Perak (Denmark) Member First Class of the Azlanii Royal Family Order (DKA I, 2010) Malaysia: Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN) Selangor: First Class of the Royal Family Order of Selangor (Denmark I, 11122005) Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (3091991) Thailand: Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao (91990).