Queen Ratna of Nepal

Queen Ratna

Queen Ratna in 1967
Queen consort of Nepal
Reign 13 March 1955 – 31 January 1972
Coronation 2 May 1956
Predecessor Kanti
Successor Aishwarya
Born (1928-08-19) 19 August 1928
Hari Bhawan, Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal
Spouse Mahendra of Nepal
Full name
Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah
House Rana dynasty (by birth)
Shah dynasty (by marriage)
Father Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana
Mother Megha Kumari Rajya Laxmi
Religion Hindu

Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah (born 19 August 1928) was Queen consort of Nepal from 1955 to 1972 and Queen Mother from 1972 to 2008 when the royal family were stripped of all titles and privileges.

She is the second wife of King Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Queen Ratna belongs to the aristocratic Rana family and is the daughter of late Honorary General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife, Megha Kumari Rajya Laxmi.

Queen Ratna in Netherlands on 25 April 1967 with Prince Bernhard.

Life

Ratna's older sister Indra had married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940 but died in 1950. Two years later, Ratna married Mahendra.[1] There were no children by this marriage as the new queen was sterilised to avoid succession problems;[2] Mahendra already had three sons and three daughters by Indra. She became Queen Consort after Mahendra's father King Tribhuvan died in 1955.

In 1972 Mahendra suffered a fatal heart attack while hunting in Chitwan National Park. Ratna thereby became Queen Mother.

Name Ratna means "Jewel" or "Gem".[3]

On the evening of June 1, 2001- when the Nepalese royal massacre took place - the Queen Mother was sitting with her sister-in-law Princess Helen Shah in the anteroom, and thus survived. The two women heard the gunshots but did not take them seriously. A few minutes later, Prince Paras came and told them that the Crown Prince Dipendra had shot everybody, including the King.[4]

The monarchy was abolished in 2008. All members of the royal family had to leave the Narayanhity Palace, with the exception of the Queen Mother. The former Queen Mother Ratna was allowed to stay in Mahendra Manzil, her house in the Narayanhity Palace, where she is still living.[5]

King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah in their coronation on 2 May 1956.

Public work

The former Queen Mother was famous for her social work helping children in Nepal. The Nepalese monarchy was abolished in 2008 after the Constituent Assembly election.[8]

Titles and styles

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ Royal Ark
  2. ↑ Jane Wilson-Howarth (2012). A Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a journey of love and loss in the Himalayas. Bradt Travel Guides, UK. p. 390. ASIN B009S7FHU4. ISBN 978-1-84162-435-8.
  3. ↑ Baby girl names
  4. ↑ Himalaya
  5. ↑ Indian Express
  6. 1 2 The Royal House of Shah. Royal Ark. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah. Nepal Royal (19 August 1928). Retrieved on 2015-04-27.
  8. ↑ "South Asia | Vote to abolish Nepal's monarchy". BBC News. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  9. ↑ Omsa.org
  10. ↑ Getty Images
  11. ↑ Benelux Royal Archived 28 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Iran. Host to the World. Badraie. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.
Preceded by
Kanti		 Queen Consort of Nepal
1955–1972 		Succeeded by
Aishwarya
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