Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
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Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty.[1] He became king on 14 December 2006, and was officially crowned on 6 November 2008. At age 28, Khesar is currently the world's youngest monarch and head of state.
Family
Khesar is the eldest son of the fourth and previous Dragon King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and his father's third wife, Queen (Ashi) Tshering Yangdon. He has a younger sister, Princess Dechen Yangzom, and brother, Prince Jigme Dorji, as well as four half-sisters and three half-brothers. He is unmarried.[2]
Education
After completing his basic education in Bhutan, Khesar studied abroad at Phillips Academy (Andover), Cushing Academy and Wheaton College in Massachusetts, United States, before graduating from Magdalen College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, where he completed the Foreign Service Program and an MPhil in Politics.[3]
He has travelled abroad, officially representing Bhutan on several occasions and has an active role in numerous cultural, educational and economic organizations.
Ascension to the throne
In December 2005, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced his intention to abdicate in his son's favour in 2008, and that he would begin handing over responsibility to him immediately.[4] On 14 December 2006, he announced that he had abdicated and transferred the throne to Jigme Khesar Wangchuck.[5]
He was officially crowned on 6 November 2008, in the month of the male earth rat, at the royal palace in Thimphu. The lavish coronation ceremony comprised an ancient and colourful ritual, attended by thousands of foreign dignitaries, including President of India Pratibha Patil, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Bollywood stars.[6][7]
Khesar will witness the first Indian sponsored performance, Astad Deboo, on 7 November, followed by shows to create a jugalbandi with Bhutanese performers. Astad will be backed on stage by 30 Manipur pungcholam drummers. The series of special performances were choreographed by Padma Shri Astad Deboo.[8] CNN reported that people painted the street signs, hung festive banners, decorated traffic circles with fresh flowers to celebrate the occasion and welcome the new king.[9]
Accomplishments as king
The young king began his unusual reign overseeing the democratization of his country, by presiding over the last sessions of the present parliament where electoral laws, land reform and other important issues were deliberated.[10] He stated that the responsibility of this generation for Bhutanese was to ensure the success of democracy. He also traveled extensively around the country to encourage participation in the upcoming democratic exercises, speaking mainly to the youth of Bhutan on the need for Bhutanese to strive for greater standards whether in education, business, civil service and the need for people of a small country to work harder than others.[11][12]
He signed a new treaty of friendship with India in February 2007, replacing the 1949 treaty.[13] Many government initiatives were undertaken by the new king with a view to strengthen the system in preparation for the democratic changes in 2008. After an extensive period waiting for the completion of parliamentary elections, in November 2008 a coronation public ceremony was performed.
Popularity abroad
As Crown Prince of Bhutan, he attended Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th Anniversary Celebrations on 12 June–13 June 2006 in Bangkok along with royals from 25 countries. Known in the Thai press as Prince Jigme, the prince, at 26 the youngest of the visiting royals, caused a sensation, giving rise to a legion of female fans in Thailand. The Thai press dubbed him "Prince Charming" and ran daily stories and photos about him and tourism in Bhutan for several weeks after he had departed Thailand.[14]
A poll run by the ABAC polling center at Assumption University listed Khesar as the most popular of the visiting royals. However, the poll was thought by some to be making light of a solemn occasion involving the Thai monarch. Hours after the poll was released, the ABAC center's director, Nophadol Kanika, retracted its results.[15]
Internet visitors to the Thai Internet forum Pantip.com flooded the website with postings about the crown prince. Among the posts is a photo of him with an unknown woman. Thai-language daily newspapers later featured the photo.[16] The country's Department of Special Investigation launched a probe into the source of the image, the publication of which is considered to be an invasion of privacy, and threatened to prosecute anyone who distributed it in the future.[17]
In November 2006, he returned to Thailand to dedicate the Bhutan Garden at the Royal Flora Ratchapruek Exhibition in Chiang Mai Province. He also accepted an honorary degree from Rangsit University in Bangkok.[18][19]
References
- ^ Das, Biswajyoti (2006-12-18). "Bhutan's new king committed to democracy". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Lawson, Alistair (2008-11-04). "Profile: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck". BBC News.
- ^ "His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck". RAOnline. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Bhutan king announces abdication". BBC. 2005-12-18. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Bhutanese king steps down early". BBC. 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- ^ "Lavish coronation for Bhutan king". BBC. 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Coronation fever in Bhutan as people's king bonds with subjects". 208-11-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Astad Deboo to perform at Bhutan King's coronation". Sahara Samay. 2008-11-02. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Himalayan nation of Bhutan crowns new king". CNN. 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Last National Assembly session begins". Bhutan Observer. 2008-01-19. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "His Majesty to attend mock election in Dungkhar". Kuensel. 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "His Majesty speaks on Bhutan's future". Kuensel. 2006-04-11. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Bhutan and India sign new treaty". BBC. 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ Denyer, Simon (2008-11-05). "Bhutan's charming king emerges from father's shadow". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Abac backs down on poll on royals". The Nation. 2006-06-22. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Thai Rath, page 1, top left corner (print edition), 28 June 2006.
- ^ "DSI sweeps into action over Jigme photograph". Phoojadkarn Daily. 2006-06-28. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Chang, Mai (2006-11-25). "Bhutan prince charms fans at floral expo". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Pungkanon, Kupluthai (2006-11-27). "Prince, Thailand have mutual adoration". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
External links
