US singer wants divorce from Malaysia's ex-king after 'secret marriage'

Brittany Porter, 30, said she believed the 2024 ceremony in Oman was an engagement, only to later learn it was a legally binding Islamic marriage to the former Malaysian monarch

A singer fell in love with a former king, unknowingly got married to him, and now wants divorce. It may sound like the plot of a film, but for American singer Brittany Porter, it is reality.

 

American singer Brittany Porter has alleged that she unknowingly married Sultan Muhammad V, the former King of Malaysia and current ruler of Kelantan, after what she believed was an engagement ceremony turned out to be a legally binding Islamic marriage, South China Morning Post reported.

 

Porter, 30, said she only discovered the truth months after the Sultan abruptly cut off contact. The relationship, which began in early 2024, was marked by luxury travel and expensive gifts, but later ended in emotional distress and her demand for a formal divorce.

 

A chance meeting turns into a royal romance

 

According to Porter, she met Sultan Muhammad V in New York in January 2024 through mutual friends. “We had this instant chemistry and good banter,” she recalled, describing his intelligence and “cute British accent”. Their connection grew quickly, and within months they were traveling together across West Asia and Asia, the news report said.

 

“He flew me and my friends all around the world. He was so generous, the nicest hotels, giving my friends the best treatment, experiences and gifts. He loves hotels, he probably spent millions on them for our trips,” Porter told This Week in Asia.

 

Their first overseas trip together, to Oman in April 2024, appeared to seal their relationship. Porter believed they had become engaged during the visit. “In my culture, the big ceremony is a wedding, which we planned for January 2025. So I was confused,” she said, as quoted by the news report. “In Oman they brought an imam out and I did the whole conversion, but he didn’t teach me all that much about Islam.”

 

From engagement to marriage without knowing

 

It was only months later that Porter realised the religious ceremony she took part in was actually a 'nikah', a legally binding Islamic marriage. “I only recently learned that a nikah constitutes a marriage under Islamic law,” she said. By that time, the former Malaysian monarch had ended all communication with her.

 

In Malaysia, Porter was referred to as “Che Puan”, a courtesy title given to non-royal women married to royalty. Along with the title came strict expectations. The relationship began to face strain over disagreements about spending and lifestyle.

 

Strain, loss and sudden silence

 

The situation worsened after Porter suffered a miscarriage in July 2024. Following the loss, Sultan Muhammad V reportedly stopped responding to her calls and messages. Porter said she later learned through a friend that the Sultan considered them “separated".

 

Seeking clarity, Porter began sharing her story on social media. “I never received any kind of closure and accountability. I deserve a proper divorce, a proper apology,” she said.

 

Porter said she was disturbed to learn about Kelantan’s economic hardships compared to the ruler’s lavish lifestyle.

 

Following the end of her relationship, Porter spent several months in therapy in the UK before returning to her music career under the stage name Brook Lynn. She has since released two singles and plans to launch an album next January.