Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

• Jigme Khesar is the King of Bhutan, who has earned the titles “Prince Charming” and “People’s King.” He is also titled as the Dragon King of Bhutan. He is married to Jetsun Pema, the Queen of Bhutan.

  

• His father, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, abdicated his throne in favour of his eldest son, King Khesar, on 9 December 2006. Further, on the occasion of 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan, on 1 November 2008, a public coronation ceremony was held in which Jigme Khesar was crowned as the fifth monarch of the kingdom of Bhutan.

• After completing his studies from India and the US, he ascended the throne of the kingdom of Bhutan; making him the youngest monarch in the world at the age of 28 only.

• In 2002, King Khesar accompanied his father on the majority of his tours around the world. He has officially represented Bhutan on various International events. He represented Bhutan at the 27th UN General Assembly and made his first speech to the United Nations, addressing issues related to the welfare of millions of children around the world.

  

• On 31 October 2004, Crown Prince was labelled as the 16th Trongsa Penlop in Trongsa Dzong.

• He attended Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 60th-anniversary celebrations on 12-13 June 2006 in Bangkok along with royals from 25 countries, where he earned a huge Thai female following because of his boyish good looks. He was also highly praised by the media for his “diplomacy, charm, and diplomatic finesse.”

• On 25 June 2002, the royal prince was awarded a red scarf by his father that is also referred to as ‘Kabney ‘and is a part of the traditional male costume in Bhutan.

  

• The Crown Prince was officially announced as King in November 2008 in Punakha. After ascending the throne, the king firmly considered the problems faced by the people and took measures for it. His first milestone was launching of the National Cadastral Resurvey in March 2009, when he dealt with the major land reform issues of the people of Bhutan.

  

• Many government initiatives have been taken under his rule. He signed a new treaty of friendship with India in February 2007, replacing the treaty of 1949. The constitution of Bhutan was adopted on 18 July 2008 by the first elected parliament under his reign only.

• Another important work of the King involves Kidu, a tradition based on the Dharma King. Its priority is to work for the wellness of the people and is designed only for the people who are in much need. Countrymen can access it in many ways. The spirituality and mental wellbeing of the countrymen are all that matters in Bhutan. So, as per the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), national happiness is the foremost priority for the King.

• Moreover, in 2011, on youth appeal, His Majesty began a military-style training for volunteers known as the DeSuung Training Programme. The programme mainly focussed to equip volunteers with the skill to provide assistance during emergencies. The launch had great results as more than 3000 volunteers completed their training and volunteered for public events and emergencies and still many are pursuing it further.

• The King has actively participated in the country’s welfare. On 24 June 2012, the historic Wangduephodrang Dzong was destroyed in a fire. King Khesar, being the supreme commander of the armed forces, commanded the armed forces and De-Suups to the site immediately, and within a couple of hours, he himself also gathered at the place of incident. With the corporation of citizens and dzongkhag officials, many things got saved from the fire.

• In 2011, at the opening of the 7th session of the parliament of Bhutan, the King announced his marriage in October to the nation. He announced,
  

  As King, it is time for me to marry. After much thought, I have decided that the wedding shall be later this year. 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. What is most important for Queen,  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.”

•  King Jigme and Jetsun Pema’s story is more like a fairy tale romance. In 1997, it is said that they both first changed their glances at a very young age during a family picnic. At that time, Jetsun was only 7, and King Khesar was 17. They played all day long, and Jetsun came up to Khesar, gave him a hug, and asked him to marry her to which Khesar replied,
  

  When you grow up, if I am single and not married and if you are single and not married, I would like you to be my wife.”

  After 14 years, they both met again and ultimately got married on October 13, 2011, at Puna Dewachen Phodrang in Punakha in a traditional Buddhist ceremony, and Jetsun became the queen of Bhutan. The grand traditional ceremony was celebrated as a three day festival in the country and was broadcast on state television and around the world, making it the largest media event in Bhutan’s history. Moreover, many renowned personalities attended the wedding such as the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Pavan K Varma, the West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan,  Rahul Gandhi, and members of the Royal Family.

• After King’s announcement, many people questioned his decision of getting married to Pema as they considered her a commoner and were concerned about the age gap of 10 years between the two. But when he announced his engagement in 2011 stating that she had all the qualities that are required to be a queen and the country would be very fortunate to have her as the queen. The people supported his choice of having ascended the throne in 2008 as a 28-year-old, he waited till 31 to find the right person. So they believed he had found the right queen for the nation.

• Within a short interval, the queen became much loved by the Bhutanese. Soon, people started liking her as they found her very compatible with the king and idolised her because of her elegance and simplicity.

• Although polygamy is accepted in Bhutan, and the present King’s father has four wives as he married the four sisters together, the fifth King, Khesar, has denied of having any extra marriage, and he has acclaimed his love for Pema by stating that he will never marry another woman, and Jetsun Pema will be his only wife forever. It has been observed that the wives of the previous king (father of King Khesar) have always walked a step or two behind the king, whereas King Khesar and his wife, Queen Pema, always walk together hand in hand. Until 1999, Bhutan was a country that did not allow any foreign television broadcasts and incidents of public displays of affection were uncommon in the country, but the Royal couple has amended this tradition. King Jigme is often seen displaying public affection, and it has been very well received by the public. They have set a benchmark for the youth to follow.