A singer from the United States is seeking a divorce after discovering she unknowingly married a Malaysian sultan.
Brittany Porter, who performs under the stage name Brook Lynn, is calling for a ‘proper divorce’ after realizing that what she thought was a regular ceremony was actually a wedding.
Porter, 30, shared her story with the South China Morning Post, detailing her encounter with Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, the former King of Malaysia, through mutual friends in January 2024.
Sultan Muhammad V has held the position of the 29th sultan of Kelantan since 2010 and served as Malaysia’s king from 2016 to 2019, stepping down from the throne during his reign.
His first marriage was to Tengku Zubaidah binti Tengku Norudin from 2004 to 2008.
In 2010, he married Sultanah Nur Diana Petra, followed by a marriage to Russian beauty queen Oxana Andreevna Voevodina in 2018.
His marriage to Voevodina ended a year later following the birth of a son, whose paternity he disputed.
Several years later, Porter and the sultan crossed paths, leading to an immediate connection.
“We had this instant chemistry and good banter,” she recounted. “We were just friends at first, but we started talking every day and the next thing you know.”
The pair traveled extensively across Asia, with the sultan also accommodating her friends on their trips.
“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,” Porter claimed. “He loves hotels, he probably spent millions on them for our trips.”
In April of the previous year, the 56-year-old sultan proposed to her before they embarked on a Middle Eastern trip.
“He asked if I wanted to go on holiday in Oman with him… it felt like I was in a real Disney princess movie,” she shared with the Daily Mail. “He proposed right after that, and he got me a blue diamond, because I said I wanted it to match my eyes.”
During their stay, a religious ceremony occurred, which Porter initially thought was only an engagement celebration.
“In my culture, the big ceremony is a wedding, which we planned for January 2025. So I was confused,” she explained to the South China Morning Post. “They brought an imam out and I did the whole conversion, but he didn’t teach me all that much about Islam… I only recently learned that a nikah constitutes a marriage under Islamic law.”
Consequently, she found herself married without realizing it.
Upon returning to Malaysia, Porter alleges she was pressured to conceive a male ‘heir’, but unfortunately experienced a miscarriage.
Following their loss, tensions rose, though she continued with their wedding arrangements.
After visiting the US for a meeting with a wedding planner, she noted his growing distance and decided to return to Malaysia.
Upon arrival, she discovered he was absent, having allegedly ‘blocked’ her.
Rather than offering explanations, the sultan purportedly texted her best friend to convey that the relationship was over, and Porter has not received any further communication from him.
Now, she seeks a formal divorce.
“I feel like this behavior is a pattern for him,” Porter expressed. “I fell for his trap.”
Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan was contacted for a comment regarding the situation.