Queen Afzan of Pahang

Tengku Ampuan Hajah Afzan Rahimahallah binti Almarhum Tengku Panglima Perang Tengku Muhammad (Jawi: تڠكو امڤوان حاجه افزان رحمة ﷲ بنت المرحوم تڠكو ڤڠليما ڤراڠ تڠکو محمد; born Tengku Afzan binti Tengku Muhammad; 4 December 1932 – 29 June 1988) was the Tengku Ampuan (queen consort) of Pahang. She served as Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia between 26 April 1979 and 25 April 1984.

Early life Born on 4 December 1932 in Kuala Terengganu, she was the fourth child of Tengku Panglima Perang Tengku Muhammad Mu’azzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Sir Ahmad al-Mu’azzam Shah and Tengku Hajah Mandak binti Tengku Haji Mustaffar, and the granddaughter of Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah, the first Sultan of Pahang.

Her father, the son of Sultan Ahmad of Pahang, served as Chief Minister of Terengganu and Pahang before returning to Pahang to hold the same post.

Tengku Hajah Afzan received her early education at the Malay Girls’ School in Pekan. She also received private tuition in English.

Marriage and becoming queen On 22 April 1954, at the age of 22, she married Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Pahang, at Kuala Lipis and became the Tengku Puan (Crown Princess) of Pahang. She gave birth to seven children, two boys and five girls, namely, Tengku Meriam, Tengku Muhaini, Tengku Aishah Marcella, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Tengku Abdul Rahman, Tengku Nong Fatimah and Tengku Shahariah.

In 1974 when Ahmad Shah ascended to the throne of Pahang, she became his queen consort styled as Tengku Ampuan of Pahang. She was Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen of Malaysia) between 1979 and 1984.

Death Tengku Afzan died on 29 June 1988 at 8:42 am at Istana Pahang, Kuala Lumpur at the age of 55 due to cancer. She was laid to rest at the Pahang Royal Mausoleum near Abu Bakar Royal Mosque in Pekan, Pahang.

Awards and recognitions Honours of Pahang

National and Sultanal honour (as wife of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 29 March 1979 – 25 April 1984)

Foreign honour

First Class of the Order of Tudor Vladimirescu (25 November 1982)

Places named after her Tengku Ampuan Afzan Mosque in Kuantan, Pahang Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan, Pahang Institut Tengku Ampuan Afzan, a child development centre in Kuala Lumpur Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tengku Ampuan Afzan in Kuala Lipis, Pahang SM Tengku Ampuan Afzan, a secondary school in Chenor, Pahang SMK Tengku Afzan, a secondary school in Kuantan, Pahang SMKA Tengku Ampuan Hajjah Afzan, a secondary school in Jerantut, Pahang Maahad Tahfiz Al Quran Wal Qiraat Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Pekan, Pahang Taman Tengku Ampuan Afzan, a residential area in Lanchang, Pahang