KUANTAN: When posed with the question coffee or tea, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah (pix) will most likely choose tea over coffee.
This was shared by one of the Queen’s close ally, Normala Baharudin, 48, who said as a tea enthusiast Tunku Azizah, the fourth child of the late Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar, has a collection of tea blends gathered during her travels or received as gifts from family and friends.
“Apart from finding enjoyment in drinking tea, perhaps not many are aware that the Queen has her collection of teas as she appreciates their tastes and aromas,” she told Bernama here recently.
Normala, who is also World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) board member added that Tunku Azizah loves reading that she has her own mini library at Istana Abdulaziz here.
According to Normala, Tunku Azizah, the fifth Tengku Ampuan Pahang of the modern era, enjoys reading different genres of books making her knowledgeable on a wide range of topics.
“Her Majesty is also very fond of pastel colours, especially light blue or pale turquoise ... but at the same time, for functions, she is a wizard in matching bright colours to make them harmoniously coordinated.
“When it comes to fashion, her choice of clothing will always be ‘baju kurung moden’. She understands fashion and has designed clothes not only for herself but for the whole family,” she said.
Speaking of fashion, many would associate Tunku Azizah with the famous Tenun Pahang Diraja (Royal Pahang Weave) which is her favourite woven silk fabric, believed to have originated from Riau or Sulawesi and brought to the state in the 16th century.
Normala said this can be proven as the clothes donned by the royal couple at functions, designed by the Queen herself were usually made from this special fabric.
It is a known fact that Her Majesty is beyond passionate about traditional Malay cooking but apart from her culinary skills, Normala said the Johor princess also has a flair for sewing, crocheting, hand embroidery, cross stitching and batik painting.
According to Normala, Tunku Azizah would spend time indulging in these hobbies while waiting for flights at the airport or during long-haul trips.
“Before starting on a long-distance journey especially, Tunku Azizah will always carry her needlework bag, which contains tools such as crochet hooks and yarns.
“When Her Majesty teaches hand embroidery, she not only examine the final result but would also inspect the back portion as according to her this is a reliable test of a person’s character,” she said.
Tunku Azizah is very thorough and has always emphasised perfection in her work and this facet in her is being emulated by her staff and those close to her.
On sports, Normala added that Tunku Azizah had always been keen in playing badminton and golf, though she now spends less time on these activities due to her responsibilities to the people and state.
“But no matter how busy she is, Tunku Azizah will always keep to her words. If she has promised something, like accepting an invitation a year ahead of the event, she would be there as she does not want to disappoint anyone.
“If she can’t make it to an event due to illness or has to attend to other official ceremonies, she would apologise and instruct someone to represent her,” Normala added. — Bernama
