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Manohara Odelia Says 2008 Union With Malaysian Prince Was Illegal, Urges Media to Drop 'Ex‑Wife' Label

She seeks a correction of language that, she says, misrepresents child marriage.

Overview

  • In a January 5 Instagram post, the Indonesian-American model said the 2008 union was not romantic, not consensual, and not a legal marriage.
  • She wrote that at 16 she lacked the capacity to give consent and described her situation as coercive, rejecting the label of “ex-wife.”
  • Her statement urges journalists and digital platforms, including Google and Wikipedia, to adopt wording that reflects coercion and underage status.
  • She has previously alleged sexual violence, physical punishment, strict control, and isolation while living in the Kelantan royal household.
  • In 2009 she fled a Singapore hotel during a royal trip and returned to Indonesia with help from her mother, local authorities, and the US embassy.