JOHOR BAHRU: Behind her royal duties and national responsibilities, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, holds dearest the memory of one special day: the birth of her eldest son, the Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
For Her Majesty, the day she gave birth to Tunku Mahkota Ismail, 41 years ago, remains vivid in her heart—a memory she lovingly shared in a heartfelt message on her eldest son's birthday today (June 30).
"It was the first day of Syawal, Hari Raya Puasa. Tuanku (His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia) was visiting his aunt and other family members when he received the news that I had safely given birth to Tunku Ismail, our eldest son.
"As parents, we celebrated the birth of our eldest son with immense joy and gratitude to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. Alhamdulillah," said Her Majesty in a post shared on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's Facebook page.
The post was accompanied by several cherished family photos from Tunku Mahkota Ismail's childhood.
One of the highlights of the post was Her Majesty's fond recollection of her eldest son's childhood - how he would eagerly ask her to buy the latest PlayStation, with the FIFA football video game being his favourite.
With a touch of humour, Raja Zarith Sofiah admitted that she never imagined his childhood passion would one day take shape in real life, with Tunku Mahkota Ismail now assuming the role of the influential owner and manager of the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) football club.
"I would ask him, 'What game is this? What does Teak have to do?' and he would reply, 'Teak has to choose a football manager and pick the right players for Teak's team.
"I never imagined that one day, he would bring the game to life!" Her Majesty said.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail's deep passion for football has since been transformed into JDT's remarkable success, reshaping the football landscape in Johor and establishing the club as one of Southeast Asia's finest.
Raja Zarith Sofiah also shared other heartfelt memories, including the tender moment she sent her eldest son off to kindergarten for the very first time.
"He didn't want me to leave, so I stood by the classroom window for as long as I was allowed," Her Majesty recalled.
She also reflected on the difficult period when Tunku Mahkota Ismail underwent rigorous military training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.
"However, we were able to visit him and meet the family who cared for him and welcomed him with love into their home and their hearts," said Her Majesty.
At the end of the post, Raja Zarith Sofiah and Sultan Ibrahim prayed for Tunku Mahkota Ismail to remain blessed with strength, wisdom, and love as he continues his leadership and service to Johor and the country. – Bernama
