Nazrin Shah of Perak

Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah (Jawi: ; born 27 November 1956) is the current Deputy King of Malaysia and Sultan of Perak.

Nazrin Shah ascended the throne of Perak in 2014. As Sultan of Perak, he has been a strong advocate for education, Islamic moderation, and national unity. He has served as deputy king under Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan (2016–2019), Sultan Abdullah of Pahang (2019–2024), and Sultan Ibrahim of Johor (2024–present).

Early life Sultan Nazrin Shah was born on 27 November 1956 in George Town, Penang, Malaya during the reign of his grandfather, Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah. He is the eldest son of Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun.

Academic life He studied at Sekolah Rendah Jalan Kuantan, Kuala Lumpur from 1962 to 1967, followed by lower secondary stage at St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur from 1968 to 1970, and furthered his upper secondary and sixth form at The Leys School, Cambridge (UK) until 1975.

Sultan Nazrin holds a B.A. in philosophy, politics and economics from Worcester College, Oxford. He also holds an M.P.A. from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in political economy and government, also from Harvard.

Sultan Nazrin's research interests are in the area of economic and political development in South-East and North-East Asia, historical national income accounting and economic growth in developing countries.

Sultan Nazrin has also written articles and spoken on a wide range of issues including the role of the constitutional monarchy in Malaysia, education, Islam, ethnic relations and economic development.

He has assumed the role of Financial Ambassador of the Malaysian International Islamic Financial Centre (MIFC), has been Chancellor of Universiti Malaya since 2014 and is the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

Sultan Nazrin is an honorary fellow at Worcester College, Oxford University; and Magdalene College and St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge; trustee of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford University, Royal fellow of Malaysia Institute of Defense and Security (MIDAS); Royal fellow of Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, Royal fellow of Institute of Public Security Malaysia (IPSOM); and the Royal patron for Malaysia International Islamic Financial Centre.

He was conferred an honorary Masters of Business Administration by the Cranfield Institute of Technology, United Kingdom in 1993; an honorary Doctor of Economics by Soka University, Japan, in 1999; and an honorary degree by The University of Nottingham in 2016.

Raja Muda of Perak The Perak Sultanate does not practice agnatic primogeniture, so, when his father became the Sultan of Perak, he did not automatically become the Raja Muda, the heir apparent. Perak uses a hierarchy system, where the Sultan appoints princes of Perak to any vacant ranks. At that time, there were some vacancies of the six princes with titles ranks. On 16 February 1984, he was proclaimed as the Raja Kechil Besar of Perak, which made him 3rd in line to the throne. After the death of Raja Ahmad Saifuddin ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah, the then-Raja Muda of Perak in 1987, the Raja Muda title was passed to him after the Raja Di-Hilir of Perak, Raja Ahmad Hisham ibni Raja Abdul Malik, who was 80, refusing the title due to old age. He was proclaimed Raja Muda of Perak on 15 April 1987.

Sultan of Perak On 29 May 2014, he became the 35th Sultan of Perak on the death of his father, Sultan Azlan Shah.

Sultan Nazrin performed the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong when Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah were away in the United Kingdom on a special visit from 17 September to 23 October 2021.

Marriage and children Sultan Nazrin married Tuanku Zara Salim Davidson at the Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan on 17 May 2007. Sultan Nazrin and Tuanku Zara had known each other for eight years prior to the wedding.

The day after the wedding, there was a ceremony to bestow Tuanku Zara Salim with the official title of Raja Puan Besar (Crown Princess) of Perak. Sultan Nazrin's father also conferred the Darjah Kerabat Seri Paduka Sultan Azlan Shah Perak Yang Dihormati (Perak Family Order of Sultan Azlan Shah) on her.

The first child of the royal couple, Raja Azlan Muzzaffar Shah, was born on 14 March 2008, followed by Raja Nazira Safya, was born on 2 August 2011.

Family Sultan Nazrin is the eldest child of Sultan Azlan Shah and Tuanku Bainun binti Mohd Ali. His father once worked as a magistrate and his mother was a teacher. His siblings are: Raja Azureen (born 9 December 1957) Raja Ashman Shah (born 28 December 1958, died 30 March 2012) Raja Eleena (born 3 April 1960) Raja Yong Sofia (born 24 June 1961) He has a son and a daughter:

Raja Azlan Muzzaffar Shah, Raja Kecil Besar of Perak (born 14 March 2008) Raja Nazira Safya (born 2 August 2011)