| Buppha Devi | |
|---|---|
| Princess of Cambodia | |
| Princess Buppha Devi performing a Khmer classical dance circa 1965. | |
| House | House of Norodom |
| Father | King Norodom Sihanouk |
| Mother | Neak Moneang Phat Kanthol |
| Born | 8 January 1943 Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (IPA: [n̪ɔroːt̪ˈɗɑm ɓupˈpʰaː~ɓopʰaː t̪eːʋiː]) of Cambodia was born on January 8, 1943 in Phnom Penh. She is the daughter of Norodom Sihanouk and the late Neak Moneang Phat Kanthol. Princess Buppha Devi is the elder sister of Prince Norodom Ranariddh and a half-sibling of current King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni.
Her official title is Her Royal Highness Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Ream Norodom Buppha Devi.
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Princess Norodom Buppha Devi's first name is also romanised as 'Bopha Devi or 'Bophadevi.' Her name comes from Pali words puppha (បុប្ផា) meaning flower and devi (ទេវី) meaning goddess.
| Styles of Norodom Buppha Devi |
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| Reference style | Her Royal Highness |
|---|---|
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Her 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. At the age of 18, she was granted the title of prima ballerina.[1]
She then toured the world as the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, and together with Queen Kossamak, brought for the first time, not only to the world, but also to the Cambodian people the art of the Cambodian Ballet. In the past, the ballet was performed only before royalty to commemorate their dynastic ancestors and to honour the gods.
Her Royal Highness married in 1959 at the age of fifteen, and has five children:
Princess Buppha Devi formerly served as the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia.