Soe Win (prince)
Maha Chandra Kumara Soe Win | |
|---|---|
| စိုးဝင်း | |
 Soe Win in 2018 | |
| Born | 15 January 1947 |
| Nationality | Burmese |
| Alma mater | Rangoon University |
| Known for | Pretender to the defunct throne of Burma |
| Spouse | Tin Lay Wai |
| Parent | Taw Phaya Gyi |
| Relatives |
|
Maha Chandra Kumara Soe Win (Burmese: စိုးဝင်း; born 15 January 1948) is a Burmese diplomat, prince and one of the most senior male members of the Royal House of Konbaung, a Pretender to the defunct Throne of Burmese, abolished in 1885. He is the eldest son of Prince Taw Phaya Gyi and great-grandson of King Thibaw and Chief Queen Supayalat.[1]
Early life
Soe Win was born on 15 January 1948 in Rangoon, Burma. He is the eldest son of Prince Taw Phaya Gyi and Khin Kyi. He graduated from Rangoon University.
Career
He joined Burmese Foreign Service, First Sec Washington DC from 1989 to 1990, He served as Ambassador Extr & Plen to Japan in 1999, Pakistan from 1999 to 2003, and Australia from 2003 to 2005. He also served as Deputy director-general of Protocol from 2006 to 2008. He is the Vice-chairman of Myanmar-China Friendship Association and director of International Affairs with Myanmar Football Federation.[2][3]
Mission to search for missing royal gems
King Thibaw was sent into exile by the British in 1885. He gave the royal gems and giant ruby to colonel Edward Bosc Sladen for safekeeping but it was never given back. His descendent believes that recovering the long lost royal treasure would restore pride in his nation. Soe Win has been investigating the royal ruby’s disappearance with Alex Bescoby, a filmmaker and historian.
In 3 November 2017, he arrived in London in a bid to find a precious giant royal ruby "Nga Mauk" which is said to be the size of a duck egg that was reportedly stolen by a British colonel over 130 years ago. That giant ruby was swiped from the Burmese royal family by a British officer Edward Bosc Sladen who took it back to England. He believes that the Nga Mauk ruby had been used by the British royal family in its crown jewels.[4][5]
References
- ^ "Burmese royal descendant on mission to discover fate of missing ruby". The Times. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Burmese royal travels to Britain to take 'stolen' ruby from Tower of London". Daily Express. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Burmese royal arrives in London to demand return of lost ruby 'hidden in the Tower of London'". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "After 130 years of obscurity, Myanmar's forgotten royals make a comeback". The Guardian. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Who stole royal ruby?". BBC News. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.