Norodom Buppha Devi
| Princess Buppha Devi | |
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| Princess of Cambodia | |
 Princess Buppha Devi performing a Khmer classical dance circa 1965. | |
| Minister of Culture and Fine Arts | |
| In office | 1998 – 2004 |
| Prime Minister | Hun Sen |
| Born | 8 January 1943 Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| Issue | Sisowath Moni Kossoma Sisowath Kalyan Tevi Keo Chinsita Forsinetti Sisowath Chivannariddh Sisowath Veakchiravuddh |
| House | House of Norodom |
| Father | Norodom Sihanouk |
| Mother | Phat Kanhol |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Norodom Buppha Devi (IPA: [n̪ɔroːt̪ˈɗɑm ɓupˈpʰaː~ɓopʰaː t̪eːʋiː]; official title Her Royal Highness Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Ream Norodom Buppha Devi) is a princess of Cambodia born on 8 January 1943, in Phnom Penh, and director of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.[1]
She is the daughter of Norodom Sihanouk and the late Neak Moneang Phat Kanthol, the elder sister of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and a half-sibling of current King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni.
Name
Buppha Devi comes from Pali words puppha (បុប្ផា) meaning flower and devi (ទេវី) meaning goddess. The name is also romanised as 'Bopha Devi or 'Bophadevi.'
Biography
| Styles of Norodom Buppha Devi | |
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| Reference style | Her Royal Highness |
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| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Buppha Devi finished her high school education at Lycée Preah Norodom in Phnom Penh. As a young princess, her grandmother, Queen Sisowath Kossamak, chose her to become a dancer early in her life. At the age of 15, she became the premiere dancer of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. At the age of 18, she was granted the title of prima ballerina.[2]
She then toured the world as the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet with Queen Kossamak, performing in public. In the past the ballet had been performed only before royalty to commemorate their dynastic ancestors and to honour the gods.
Buppha Devi married in 1959 at the age of fifteen, and has five children:
- Princess Sisowath Moni Kossoma (born 1960)
- Princess Sisowath Kalyan Tevi (born 1961)
- Keo Chinsita Forsinetti (born 1965)
- Prince Sisowath Chivannariddh (born 1968)
- Prince Sisowath Veakchiravuddh (born 1973)
Buppha Devi formerly served as the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia.
References
| Cambodian royal family |
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 Cambodia portal |
- ^ "Inside Cambodia's royal ballet". nationmultimedia.com. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
- ^ Milton Osborne, Sihanouk, Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness. Silkworm 1994
External links
- Biography of the Princess at Norodom Sihanouk's website
- Video of HRH Norodom Buppa Devi dancing the Robam Tiyae Boung Soung on YouTube This 1962 performance at the Royal Palace was filmed by the United States Information Service (USIS) with the permission of Queen Kossamak.