Born on 23 April 1868, he is eldest son of Sultan Idris Murshidul Azzam Shah ibni al-Marhum Raja Bendahara Alang Iskandar Teja, Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of the State of Perak, GCMG, GCVO, by his first wife, Raja Nuteh Aishah binti Almarhum Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Muzaffar Shah Ghafirullah, daughter of Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Muzaffar Shah Ghafirullah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah.