Swaziland Bride. She was 16, now 17, she has had a year's instruction from the Queen Mother to bring her into the royal household. The announcement of her engagement means the Swaziland bride will get a traditional wedding which will be performed when she turned 18, Mswati 36.

King Mswati III
In 2001, King Mswati III, then 33 years old, imposed a five year ban on sex for underage maidens. A nationwide adult HIV infection rate of 38,6 percent worried the King, tribal leaders and the adult population of Swaziland.

Girls to the age of 18 would wear blue and yellow tassels around their forehead and descending down their backs. Girls from 19 to marriage would wear black and red tassels. Once the tassels are worn men must respect her and not ask for her hand in marriage.

Noliqhwa Ntentensa
But in 2003, 2 years after the ban was imposed Mswati III broke his own rules that intended to stop the HIV infection from spreading even more, Noliqhwa Ntentensa was chose to be Mswati's next Swaziland bride. Topless and wearing only beaded belts that leave the buttocks exposed maidens dance in front of the Queen Mother with the King a invited guest.

When she was chosen by Mswati after the king reviewed videotapes of the Reed Dance maidens, Noliqhwa Ntentensa was considered too young for marriage, palace sources said. She was 16, now 17, she has had a year's instruction from the Queen Mother to bring her into the royal household. The announcement of her engagement means the Swaziland bride will get a traditional wedding which will be performed when she turned 18, Mswati 36.