Ntfombi of Eswatini

Ntfombi
Ntfombi
Ndlovukati
	Ntfombi in 2016
Queen Mother of Eswatini
Reign	25 April 1986 – present
Coronation	25 April 1986
Predecessor	Dzeliwe (as regent)
King	Mswati III
Queen regent of Swaziland
Regency	25 March 1983 – 24 April 1986
Predecessor	Sobhuza II (as king); Dzeliwe (as queen regent)
Successor	Mswati III (as king)
Born	Ntfombi Tfwala; 27 December 1949 (age 74); Swaziland ; (now Eswatini)
Spouse	Sobhuza II (until his death, in 1982)
Issue	Mswati III
House	Dlamini (by marriage)

Ntfombi (born Ntfombi Tfwala; 27 December 1949) has been Queen Mother of Eswatini since 1986. She was also regent of Eswatini from 1983 to 1986. She is the mother of King Mswati III.^[1]

Early life and marriage

Ntfombi married King Sobhuza II of Swaziland, with whom she had a son, Prince Makhosetive Dlamini.

In 1982 King Sobhuza designated another of his wives, Queen Dzeliwe, as the Ndlovukati to reign as joint sovereign with his future successor. Instead of recognizing one of her sons as his heir apparent, he indicated to his Loqoqo that he wanted Prince Makhosetive Dlamini to succeed him on the throne. In June 1982 he also extended the authority of the Loqoqo, empowering it to act as a "Supreme Council of State", free to appoint an "Authorised Person" to exercise the royal prerogative if a regent was deemed unable to do so properly.

Regency of Queen Dzeliwe

In the power vacuum that resulted from the death of Sobhuza II, Ndlovukati Dzeliwe became Queen Regent during the minority of the designated heir to the throne, but the Loqoqo, consisting mostly of King Sobhuza's senior relatives, chiefs and advisors, usurped her authority and sacked Sobhuza's prime minister, Prince Mabandla Dlamini, whom Loqoqo members apparently feared would strip them of their new role. Once Prince Makhosetive Dlamini attained his majority and officially became king, his mother would then be expected to be designated as the new Ndlovukati.^[2] However, Queen Dzeliwe was placed under house arrest in 1983. Following a 9-day period during which Swaziland was ruled by Prince Sozisa Dlamini, Ntfombi was selected as queen regent.

OINGASIBIBA

In 1986, when he turned 18, Makhosetive was crowned King Mswati III. Upon becoming king, as was the custom, he declared his mother to be the Indlovukazi (a title roughly corresponding to queen mother, literally translated as Great She-Elephant) and, as such, joint head of state. As queen mother, Ntfombi is seen as the spiritual and national head of state, while her son is considered the administrative head of state.^[3]^[4]^[5]

The Indlovukazi's image has been widely disseminated in the West since her inclusion in Andy Warhol's portrait series during her exercise of the regency for her son, as one of four Reigning Queens, along with queens Beatrix of the Netherlands, Margrethe II of Denmark and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.^[6]

References

^ Soszynski, Henry. "SWAZILAND". members.iinet.net.au. Archived from the original on 2018-05-19. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
^ Magongo, Ellen Mary. Kingship and Transition in Swaziland, 1973–1988^{[permanent dead link]}. Master of Arts in History dissertation. University of South Africa. November 2009.
^ "Swaziland's 40th anniversary bash hits sour note". Archived from the original on 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
^ "Key Facts about Swaziland". Television New Zealand. Reuters. 19 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
^ "Swazi queen flies out after king falls ill". Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
^ Los Angeles Times. Muchnic, Suzanne. The Art Galleries: Downtown Archived 2013-11-06 at the Wayback Machine, articles.latimes.com; 20 December 1985.

Regnal titles
Preceded by Queen Dzeliwe (Queen Regent)	Queen Mother of Eswatini 1986–present	Incumbent

[1] Soszynski, Henry. "SWAZILAND". members.iinet.net.au. Archived from the original on 2018-05-19. Retrieved 2018-05-24.

[thesis-2] Magongo, Ellen Mary. Kingship and Transition in Swaziland, 1973–1988^{[permanent dead link]}. Master of Arts in History dissertation. University of South Africa. November 2009.

[3] "Swaziland's 40th anniversary bash hits sour note". Archived from the original on 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2009-10-18.

[TVNZ_2089921-4] "Key Facts about Swaziland". Television New Zealand. Reuters. 19 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.

[5] "Swazi queen flies out after king falls ill". Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2009-01-28.

[6] Los Angeles Times. Muchnic, Suzanne. The Art Galleries: Downtown Archived 2013-11-06 at the Wayback Machine, articles.latimes.com; 20 December 1985.

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v t e Monarchs of Eswatini (Swaziland)
Pre-modern Swaziland (until 1745)	Mkhulunkosi Qomizitha Sukuta Madlasomo Ndlovu Ngwekati Mawawa/Kuwawa Sidvwabasilutfuli Gebase Kunene Nkabingwe Madlabane Hhili Dulunga Dondobola Sihuba Mlangeni Msimudze Mbhondlo/Mbhondlo/Mbhoholo Tembe Sikhulumaloyo Langa Samuketi Nkomo Khabako Nkosi I: (1355–1400) Ngwane I: 1400–1435 Dlamini I (Matalatala): 1435–1465 Mswati I: 1480–1520 Ngwane II: 1520–1550 Dlamini II: 1555–1600 Nkosi II: 1600–1640 Mavuso I: 1645–1680 Magudulela: 1685–1685 Ludvonga: 1685–1715 Dlamini III: 1720–1744
Modern Swaziland (1745–1906)	Ngwane III: 1745–1780 (the first King of modern Swaziland) LaYaka Ndwandwe (Queen Regent): 1780 Ndvungunye (Zikodze, Mavuso II): 1780–1815 Lomvula Mndzebele (Queen Regent): 1815 Sobhuza I (Somhlolo): 1815–1839 Lojiba Simelane (Queen Regent): 1836–1840 Mswati II (Mavuso III): 1840–1868 Tsandzile Ndwandwe (Queen Regent): July 1868 – June 1875 Crown Prince Ludvonga II (Macaleni) – never became King Dlamini IV (Mbandzeni): 1875–1889 Tibati Nkambule (Queen Regent): 7 April 1889 – 1894 Ngwane V (Mahlokohla): January 1895 – 10 December 1899 Labotsibeni Gwamile Mdluli (Queen Regent): 10 December 1899 – 31 March 1906
Paramount Chiefs under British rule (1906–1968)	Labotsibeni Gwamile Mdluli (Queen Regent): 31 March 1906 – 22 December 1921 Sobhuza II: 22 December 1921 – 2 September 1968
Kings of Swaziland (1968–2018)	Sobhuza II (1968–1982) Queen Dzeliwe (regent): 21 August 1982 – 9 August 1983 Prince Sozisa Dlamini (acting regent): 9 August 1983 – 18 August 1983 Queen Ntfombi (regent): 18 August 1983 – 25 April 1986 Mswati III (1986–present)
Kings of Eswatini (2018–present)	Mswati III (1986–present)
tiNdlovukati (Queen Mother/Doctor)	LaYaka Ndwandwe, 1745–1780 (Regent 1780) Lomvula Mndzebele, 1780–1815 (Regent 1815) Lojiba Simelane, 1815–1840 (Regent 1836–1840) Tsandzile Ndwandwe (LaZidze), 1840–1875 (Regent 1868–1875) Sisile Khumalo (Lamgangeni), 1875 Tibati Nkambule (Madvolomafisha), 1875–1894 (Regent 1889–1894) Labotsibeni Mdluli (Gwamile, Lamvelase), 1894–1925 (Regent 1899–1921) Lomawa Ndwandwe, 1925–1938 Nukwase Ndwandwe, 1938–1957 Zihlathi Ndwandwe/Mkhatjwa, 1957–1975 Seneleleni Ndwandwe, 1975–1982 Dzeliwe Shongwe (Regent 1982–1983) Ntfombi Tfwala, 1983–present (Regent 1983–1986)