Life is often stranger than fiction, people say, and this story is certainly from this realm.

If you were a king and fell in love with a foreign woman, which could preclude you from ruling the country, would you forego your love to remain in power?

It might have been the choice that King Muhammad V of Malaysia faced when weighing his options once the romance with his Russian bride, a former beauty queen Oksana Voevodina (she took the name of Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko when converted to Islam), became serious.

For the first time in history the King of Malaysia married a foreigner in a ceremony held outside the country. It is also the first time in history of the country that the King stepped down the throne. Historically, the 29th Sultan of Kelantan was the first monarch who took the role of the head of the constitutional monarchy as a single man. He was married for less than 2 months when he abruptly resigned from the throne.

Love or the kingdom?

Last week the Russian media was in frenzy with the news: The high-profile couple might be expecting their first child.

But that’s not the only news that ignited the attention. It is the King’s resignation that came the most unexpected.

The 49-year-old monarch suddenly resigned from his position as the country’s King just 2 years into his 5-year-term. This news broke on 6 January, just two days before the information about the pregnancy became public.

In Malaysia, the 9 royal rulers elect a King between themselves to occupy the position for 5 years. King Muhammad V resigned after just a couple of years at the helm.

According to MSN, his decision to take a 25-year-old Russian wife might have been the reason behind the King’s unexpected resignation. Sources believe that the other royal family members weren’t comfortable with a Russian beauty pageant winner being the Queen of the Muslim state.

The bride-to-be converted to Islam before the marriage to the former Muslim leader. The couple married in Russia in a traditional Muslim ceremony in November 2018, which was a huge surprise to the nation of the King.

Gossipers could end in jail

The discussions about the King’s resignation sparked another controversy when 3 people, 2 men and a woman, were detained after posting remarks on Twitter and Facebook, discussing the event.

In Malaysia, people can face a fine or jailed for up to 3 years for insulting the monarch. The goal of the legislation is to protect the constitutional monarchy from any types of attack.

The King’s departing statement emphasised the need for the nation to remain united, tolerant, and work together. In the statement by the Palace, no reason for the resignation was provided.

The next in line for the Malaysian throne is Sultan Ahmad Shah from the Pahang royal house, who was Malaysia’s 7th King (1979-1984), Straits Times reported. The Sultan is now 88 years old and it is likely that his 59-year-old son, the regent, will become the ruler of the state.

Oksana Voevodina (centre) won the beauty contest Miss Moscow 2015. In her interview as the winner, Voevodina confessed she took part in the pageant to accompany a friend. By the way, it was Oksana who designed the swimsuits for the competition that all participants were wearing on stage. At the time, as she said in the interview, she didn’t have a boyfriend and her heart was free.

Who is Oksana Voevodina?

The marriage of the former Russian beauty queen (also known as Xenia Diagileva) to the King of Malaysia on 22 November 2018 was the front page news across Russia.

Oksana’s father is a medical doctor (orthopaedic surgeon). Her mother also used to compete in beauty peasants and is a professional pianist, performer, and composer, KP.ru reported.

Oksana is the oldest of 3 kids, she has brother Ivan and sister Alexandra.

Voevodina moved to Moscow to study at a university at the age of 17. After her graduation she worked as a model in Paris and Bangkok.

Oksana became Miss Moscow in 2015 at the age of 22. At the time she was a PhD student in Plekhanov’s State Economics University of Moscow. Oksana’s height is 170 cm (5’7″).

After converting to Sunni Islam in April 2018, her new name is Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko.

After the marriage she is officially Raja Perempuan of Kelantan and was de facto Raja Permaisuri Agong XV until the king’s resignation a few days ago. It is the first time that the king’s spouse was someone born outside of Malaysia.

The announcement followed a 2-month medical leave from ruling the country that the King took in November, with photos of his nuptials in Russia emerging days after his departure.

Another royal wedding of 2018 that shocked the nation. The nation of Malaysia.

The royal marriage

His Royal Highness, Muhammad V, Sultan of Kelantan, was the 15th elected head of state in Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong). He was previously married to a member of the Pattani royal family of Malaysia, but the marriage ended in divorce in 2008. Muhammad V became the 29th Sultan of Kelantan in September 2010 after his father had fallen ill suffering a stroke. In September 2011 he was elected as the Deputy Head of State of Malaysia.

Muhammad V was proclaimed the King of Malayasia in December 2016. The 29th Sultan of Kelantan has no children.

The wedding of the Sultan and the former beauty queen took place in the prestigious Barvikha concert hall in Rublevka, Moscow region, Russia, but was concluded in accordance with the Malaysian traditions. At the time of marriage the couple knew each other for 1.5 years, Woman.ru reported.

According to EG.ru, the king met the young model at an exhibition by the stand of luxury watches.

Andrey Gorbatenko, the father of the Russian bride, who owns medial centres in Taganrog and Rostov-on Don in Russia, approved the marriage of his daughter to the Malaysian royal. According to the father, he knows the sultan for 1.5 years and considers him a great man. Gorbatenko communicates with his royal son-in-law in English, KP.ru reported.

What do you think? Is love and family worth such a sacrifice?