In case you missed it, actress and singer Ayen Munji-Laurel was once a real-life princess in Brunei.
During her guest appearance on Fast Talk With Boy Abunda on Monday, Ayen opened up about her royal past, reflecting on how different her life was back then.
“It’s a different world. People think it’s such a happy, easy life. They ask, ‘Why did you leave? Why did you turn your back?'” she shared.
Ayen acknowledged the many stories surrounding her departure from royal life, some of which she finds amusing. “Sometimes when I read them, they make it sound like everything was easy,” she added.
Despite her time as royalty, Ayen said she wouldn’t trade her current life for anything else. “I think my life is complete now. I have a husband who’s present in my life. I guess that makes the difference,” she said.
Ayen was previously married to Prince Jefri Bolkiah, a member of Brunei’s Royal Family, and they share a son named Hasan. She is now happily married to Franco Laurel and is a mother of five.
Currently, Ayen stars in the GMA Afternoon Prime series Prinsesa ng City Jail, alongside Sofia Pablo, Allen Ansay, Beauty Gonzalez, and Denise Laurel. The series follows Princess (played by Pablo), a young girl raised near a prison by her jail guard father. Despite bringing light to the lives of the people around her, especially the inmates, Princess longs for the mother who abandoned her.