What to Know About Malaysia's Princess Ilyana, Who Just Married British Racing Driver Chris Froggatt

A Malaysian royal wedding drew global attention this week after Princess Ilyana of Pahang married British racing driver Christopher Lionel Froggatt in a lavish, multi-day ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

Image courtesy of @azamneurmaya/Instagram

Who Is Princess Ilyana?

Tengku Puteri Ilyana Alia, 29, is the daughter of Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, one of Malaysia's nine hereditary royal families, and Julia Rais, a former actress. Malaysia's monarchy rotates among these nine royal households, with each state ruler eligible for election as the country's Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or King of Malaysia, every five years. Princess Ilyana's father served in that role from 2019 to 2024.

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Who Did She Marry?

Her new husband, Christopher Lionel Froggatt, 32, is a British GT racing driver who competes in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. According to his official racing biography, Froggatt came to motorsport relatively late, entering competitive racing at 24 after an exploratory high-performance driving experience at Ferrari's test track in Fiorano, Italy, which set him on the path toward international racing.

The Wedding

The celebrations unfolded over several days at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, in keeping with the traditions of Malaysia's royal households. The festivities began on August 7 with the Akad Nikah, the traditional Islamic marriage ceremony, officiated by the Mufti of Pahang, followed the next day by the Majlis Persandingan Diraja, a royal ceremonial celebration.

Princess Ilyana wore two different looks across the two ceremonies. For the Akad Nikah, she chose a lace-embroidered, V-neck gown designed by Malaysian couturier Datuk Radzuan Radziwill, paired with Queen Azizah's Art Deco Diamond Tiara — an heirloom piece created in the 1920s and acquired by Queen Azizah shortly after her own wedding to the Crown Prince of Pahang in 1986. For the second ceremony, she wore a different tiara from the same royal collection, paired with a matching diamond chain.

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Froggatt, for his part, embraced Malaysian royal tradition by wearing the ceremonial tengkolok headwear alongside his suit, blending British tailoring with local custom.

The wedding was attended by senior members of the Pahang royal family, including the Crown Prince of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, along with other royal relatives. Following the ceremony, the Sultanate of Pahang released an official statement offering prayers for the couple's happiness and lasting prosperity.