Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck King of Bhutan Reign 14 December 2006 – present (&00000000000000040000004 years, &000000000000006200000062 days) Coronation 6 November 2008(2008-11-06) (aged 28) Predecessor Jigme Singye Wangchuck Heir-Presumptive Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck Father Jigme Singye Wangchuck Mother Tshering Yangdon Born 21 February 1980 (1980-02-21) (age 30) Dechencholing Palace Religion Vajrayana Buddhism Royal Family of Bhutan HM King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck HM King Jigme Singye Wangchuck HM Queen Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck HRH Princess Sonam Dechen HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck HM Queen Tshering Pem Wangchuck HRH Princess Chimi Yangzom HRH Princess Kesang Choden HRH Prince Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck HM Queen Tshering Yangdön Wangchuck HRH Princess Dechen Yangzom HRH Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck HM Queen Sangay Choden Wangchuck HRH Prince Khamsum Singhye Wangchuck HRH Princess Euphelma Choden Wangchuck HRH Princess Sonam Choden Wangchuck HRH Princess Dechen Wangmo Wangchuck HRH Princess Pem Pem Wangchuck HRH Princess Kesang Wangmo Wangchuck See also House of Wangchuck Line of succession

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (Dzongkha: འཇིགས་མེད་གེ་སར་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་དབང་ཕྱུག་,^[1] born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty.^[2] He became king on 14 December 2006, and was officially crowned on 6 November 2008.

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.^[3]

Education

After completing his higher secondary studies from Yangchenphu Higher secondary school, Bhutan, Khesar studied abroad at Phillips Academy (Andover, Massachusetts), 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.^[4]

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

Picture of Jigme Khesar Wangchuck when he was Crown Prince

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.^[5] On 14 December 2006, he announced that he had abdicated and transferred the throne to Jigme Khesar Wangchuck.^[6]

He was officially crowned on 6 November 2008, in the month of the male earth rat, at Tashichhoedzong in Thimphu. The 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.^[7][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 those of 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 left Thailand.^[14]

Styles

• 1980-2004: His Royal Highness Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
• 2004-2006: His Royal Highness Chhoetse Penlop Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
• 2006-present: His Majesty Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck , Mang-pos Bhur-ba'i rgyalpo, King of Bhutan

References

External links

• Bhutan's Royal Family
• More Royal Family Background
• Tim Fischer: Wise heads prevail in capital of happiness
• Bhutan 2008 Coronation of the Fifth King (Official Website)
• BBC, In pictures: Bhutan coronation
• Bhutan crowns a new King (gallery)