Tengku Ampuan Tua Tengku Intan Zaharah binti Almarhum Tengku Seri Setia Raja Tengku Hitam Omar (Jawi: تڠكو امڤوان توا تڠكو اينتن زهرة بنت المرحوم تڠكو سري ستيا راج تڠكو هيتم عمر; 13 April 1928 – 24 January 2015) was the Tengku Ampuan Tua (Grand Queen Dowager) of Terengganu.[1] She was formerly the Tengku Ampuan Besar (Queen consort) of Terengganu from 1945 to 1979, the Tengku Ampuan (Queen Dowager) of Terengganu from 1979 to 1998 and Tengku Ampuan Tua (Grand Queen Dowager) of Terengganu from 1998 until her death in 2015. She also served as the fourth Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia from 1965 to 1970.
Early life
Tengku Intan was born in Singapore on 13 April 1928. Her father, Tengku Seri Setia Raja Terengganu Tengku Hitam Omar, was a member of the Singapore (Johor Bendahara Horeh) royal family, serving in the Terengganu State Civil Service as the State Secretary of Terengganu; he was exiled since the death of the last Sultan of Singapore, Alauddin Alam Shah, in 1897. Her mother was Raja Zainab binti Raja Alang (second wife of her father).
Tengku Intan received her education at the Malay School in Telok Kurau and Katong Convent, Singapore.
Accordingly, Tengku Intan Zaharah became Tengku Ampuan Besar (Queen) of Terengganu. Tengku Intan served as Raja Permaisuri Agong during her husband's reign as the fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong or King of Malaysia.
In 1979, upon her husband's death she was created Tengku Ampuan (Queen Dowager) of Terengganu. In 1998, on the death of her stepson, Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, she became Tengku Ampuan Tua (Grand Queen Dowager) of Terengganu.[3]
Death
Tengku Ampuan Tua Tengku Intan Zaharah died on 24 January 2015 at 3:30 pm in Hospital Pantai, Kuala Lumpur due to pneumonia. She was 86 years old. Her body was brought back to Terengganu and was laid to rest beside her husband grave, Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah at the Royal Mausoleum near Abidin Mosque, Kuala Terengganu.