Her family ruled Pattani in south Thailand until it was overthrown by King Chulalongkorn in his effort to consolidate his hold on the southern part of that country.

Tengku Budriah later spent her Lower Secondary Education at the Anglo-Chinese Girls School in Ipoh, Perak.

Besides that she was also active in sports where she represented her school team in badminton and hockey, and also enjoyed sewing, cooking, flower arrangement and horse riding.

When he was exiled by the Japanese occupying forces during the second World War, she helped him run a small cake and sundry goods shop in Kota Bharu.

Her eldest son Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 2001 till 12 December 2006.

Tengku Budriah spent most of her leisure time enjoying her favourite hobbies such as gardening, sewing, flower arrangement and cooking.

The royal family were pioneers in implementing the Foster Parents Project organised by the Women Institution (W.I.)

[3] The King, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi paid their last respects in Kuala Lumpur before her body was flown on a Royal Malaysian Air Force Hercules aircraft from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport to the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Alor Star.