Jump to content

Jetsun Pema

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Iamthecheese44 (talk | contribs) at 02:34, 29 January 2015. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the Queen of Bhutan. For the sister of the Dalai Lama, see Jetsun Pema (activist).


Jetsun Pema
Queen consort of Bhutan
Proclamation13 October 2011
Born (1990-06-04) 4 June 1990 (age 34)
Thimphu Hospital,
Thimphu, Bhutan
SpouseJigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Names
Jetsun Pema Wangchuck [fn 1]
FatherDhondup Gyaltshen
MotherSonam Chuki
ReligionBuddhism
This name uses Bhutanese naming customs. Bhutanese people have two given names, neither of which is a surname or family name unless they are descended from royal or noble lineages.
Styles of
Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
Royal Emblem
Reference styleHer Majesty
Spoken styleYour Majesty

Queen Jetsun Pema (Dzongkha: རྗེ་བཙུན་པདྨ་; Wylie: rje btsun padma; born 4 June 1990) is the queen consort (Druk Gyaltsuen, literally meaning "Dragon Queen") of Bhutan, as the wife of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Early life

Jetsun Pema was born in Thimphu on 4 June 1990.[1] Her father, Dhondup Gyaltshen is the grandson of Trashigang Dzongpon Dopola (Governor of Trashigang). Her mother, Sonam Chuki comes from the family of Bumthang Pangtey (one of the oldest noble families of Bhutan).

Jetsun Pema is the second eldest of five children. Her four siblings include: two brothers, Thinlay Norbu and Jigme Namgyal and two sisters, Serchen Doma and Yeatso Lhamo (the eldest, who is the wife of the king's brother, Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck).[2][3][4][5]

Jetsun Pema's early education took place in Thimphu at the Little Dragon School, the Sunshine School (1995–96) and finally the Changangkha Lower Secondary School (1997–98). She then received a convent education at St. Joseph's Convent in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, from 1999–2000. She pursued her secondary education at the Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School in Thimphu from 2001 to 2005 and moved to the Lawrence School, Sanawar, in Solan Himachal Pradesh, India, in April 2006.[6] She joined Lawrence as a Class-XI student and chose to study English, history, geography, economics and painting. She completed her Higher Secondary education on 31 March 2008.[7] She then began her tertiary education by enrolling at Regent's College in London,[3][8] where she read international relations with psychology and art history as minor subjects.[2]

Royal Wedding

Main article: Wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema

On 20 May 2011, during the opening of the Parliament's seventh session, the king announced their engagement, saying

"As King, it is now time for me to marry. After much thought I have decided that the wedding shall be later this year." [9]

Describing Jetsun Pema, he said

"Now, many will have their own idea of what a Queen should be like – that she should be uniquely beautiful, intelligent and graceful. I think with experience and time, one can grow into a dynamic person in any walk of life with the right effort. For the Queen, what is most important is that at all times, as an individual she must be a good human being, and as Queen, she must be unwavering in her commitment to serve the People and Country. As my queen, I have found such a person and her name is Jetsun Pema. While she is young, she is warm and kind in heart and character. These qualities together with the wisdom that will come with age and experience will make her a great servant to the nation." [9]

The couple married on 13 October 2011, at Punakha Dzong. The royal wedding ceremony was held first in Punakha, followed by a public celebration in Thimphu[10] and Paro.[11] During the ceremony, the King bestowed the Crown of the Druk Gyaltsuen on her, formally proclaiming her as the Queen of the Kingdom of Bhutan.[12]

The wedding was held in traditional style with the "blessings of the guardian deities." Although Bhutan allows polygamy, the king said that he would never marry another woman, and that Jetsun Pema will be his only wife in the future.[3] For their wedding, the Netherlands sent the royal couple tulips and named one "Queen of Bhutan" after her.[13]

Royal duties

Following her marriage to the King, Jetsun Pema has joined him on several trips abroad to: India,[14] Singapore,[15] Japan[16] and the United Kingdom.[17]

Jetsun Pema accompanied Jigme Khesar on several of his Royal Visits to various parts of Bhutan before the Wedding, and as Queen of Bhutan, accompanies him on all of such visits. The Royal Visits on road through the country involves meeting and interacting with as many local people, students and public servants as possible.[18]

Jetsun Pema is an advocate of environmental issues, and the Patron of the Royal Society for Protection of Nature. She is also the UNEP Ozone Ambassador. Her Majesty works closely with various organisations working with children with special needs as the patron of Ability Bhutan Society. She is the Patron of the Bhutan Kidney Association (Jigten Wangchuk Tshogpa) and the Bhutan Kidney Foundation.

She has been considered a fashion icon due to the vibrant traditional clothing that she wears.[19]

Private life

The Queen's interests include fine arts, painting and basketball.[20] She captained her school team in basketball games and maintains her interests even after school life.[2] Her Majesty's other diversions during her school days included participation in school bands and dance programmes. Besides Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan, she is fluent in English and Hindi.[5]

References

  1. ^ Royal Ark
  2. ^ a b c "Know the royal bride". Businessbhutan. Retrieved 27 May 2011.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b c "Royal Wedding in October". Bhutan Observer. Retrieved 26 May 2011.[dead link]
  4. ^ "Bhutan's King Is Set to Marry – Royal Wedding". Empowered News. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Himachal-educated girl to marry Bhutan king". MSN News. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  6. ^ Anand Bodh, Bhutan king to wed Sanawar girl dated 22 May 2011, from Times of India at indiatimes.com, accessed 14 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Lawrence School, Sanawar in celebration mode". The Times of India. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Bhutan king to wed Sanawar girl". Times of India. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  9. ^ a b . King's official Facebook page. 20 May 2011 https://www.facebook.com/notes/his-majesty-king-jigme-khesar-namgyel-wangchuck/20-may-2011-royal-address-to-the-7th-session-of-parliament/10150198533636761. Retrieved 13 November 2014. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ . BBS page. 20 October 2011 http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=6754. Retrieved 13 November 2014. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ . BBS page. 20 October 2011 http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=6802. Retrieved 13 November 2014. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ . BBS. 13 October 2011 http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=6691. Retrieved 13 November 2014. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "Bhutan News" (PDF). Retrieved https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jetsun_Pema&action=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro#. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ "Bhutan's royal couple in India on nine-day visit". Zee News. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  15. ^ "Bhutan's royal couple in S'pore for private visit". Asia One. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  16. ^ "New style icon of the Orient Queen Jetsun Pema makes Bhutan proud on Japan visit". Hello Magazine. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  17. ^ "Queen Jetsun debuts chic sense of style on UK trip". Hello Magazine. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  18. ^ Kuensel http://www.kuenselonline.com/a-mobile-royal-court/#.VFjVzVaJWX0. Retrieved 4 November 2014. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ^ "Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan: A Newlywed Style Icon (PHOTOS)".
  20. ^ "Spike in Bhutan's happiness index". The Hindu. India. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  1. ^ Women in Bhutan traditionally retain their names upon marriage. As a queen consort of Bhutan she may use the surname of the Wangchuck by marriage.



Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jetsun_Pema&oldid=644643669"