Asian & Middle Eastern Monarchs & Strongmen Codexery

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

The Dragon King who guided Bhutan into democracy and champions Gross National Happiness.

Last updated

He became the world's youngest reigning monarch at age 26 when his father abdicated on 14 December 2006, and his formal coronation took place on 6 November 2008.[1] He is recognized for his commitment to Gross National Happiness and has championed environmental conservation, youth empowerment, and international diplomacy.[2] Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, whose birth occurred on 21 February 1980 at a maternity hospital in Kathmandu, is the reigning monarch of Bhutan and the firstborn child of the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.[3][4]

Life and work

He completed his higher secondary studies at Yangchenphug High School and then studied in the United States at Phillips Academy and Cushing Academy.[5] As crown prince, he represented Bhutan at the 27th UN General Assembly on 8 May 2002, addressing issues related to children's welfare.[6] He was installed as the 16th Trongsa Penlop on 31 October 2004, a position signifying heritage to the Bhutanese throne.[7][8] He announced his engagement to Jetsun Pema on 20 May 2011 and married her on 13 October 2011 in Punakha Dzong.[9][10]

He initiated the De-Suung Training Programme in 2011, a military-style volunteer training program whose graduates are known as DeSuups.[11][12] The royal couple's offspring are three: Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, who arrived on 5 February 2016 at Lingkana Palace; Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, born 19 March 2020 at the same palace; and a daughter, Sonam Yangden Wangchuck, whose birth was announced on 9 September 2023.[13] Since assuming the throne, he has directed Bhutan's shift toward a constitutional monarchy, which encompassed the 2008 enactment of the Constitution and the nation's initial parliamentary elections.[1] The Penal Code Amendment Act received royal assent on 17 February 2021, thereby making same-sex activity legal in Bhutan.[14][15]

What the cited sources add

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the king requested the government not make big plans for his wedding celebration.[9] The same source noted that the king is widely revered by his subjects and can take multiple wives under Bhutanese law.[9] The Human Dignity Trust account states that Tashi Tsheten of Queer Voices of Bhutan called the decriminalisation of same-sex activity a "major milestone"[15] The Human Dignity Trust also reported that a joint sitting of both houses approved the amended Bill on 10 December 2020 before the king signed it into law.[15]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "A new king takes the helm of Bhutan's young democracy", The New York Times, 4 November 2008; "In Bhutan's young democracy, a Dragon King comes of age", Reuters, 11 October 2011 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck", Encyclopædia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck", Encyclopædia Britannica; "A Legacy of Two Kings", Bhutan Department of Information Technology; "Genealogy"; "Profile: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck", BBC News, 13 October 2011 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "I have emotional tie with Nepal as I was born in there : Bhutan King Jigme Khesar", www.southasiatime.com; "WANGCHUCK DYNASTY. 100 Years of Enlightened Monarchy in Bhutan. Lham Dorji"; "Genealogy"; Lawson, "Profile: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck", BBC News, 4 November 2008 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: His Majesty, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck , bhutanakingdomofhappiness.com; Retrieved 21 April 2015. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Crown Prince addresses the United Nations", Kuensel; "Crown Prince in Thailand", Kuensel (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wangchuk, "The significance of observing National Day in Trongsa", Kuensel, 17 December 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wangdi, "A Historical Background of the Chhoetse Penlop", Centre for Bhutan Studies (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Plowright, "Bhutan's 31-year-old king to marry", Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2011. facts only, no text reused. news.smh.com.au
  10. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Royal wedding: Bhutan king weds Jetsun Pema", NDTV, 13 October 2011; "Bhutan's 'Prince Charming' king marries student bride", The Daily Telegraph, 12 October 2011; Plowright, "Bhutan's 31-year-old king to marry", Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2011 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "DeSuung: A Vision in Realization", Kuensel, 4 April 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "125 volunteers take part in the De-Suung training programme", BBS (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  13. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Bhutan's Queen Jetsun Pema gives birth to crown prince", BBC, 6 February 2016; "His Majesty King Jigme Khesar on Instagram: "❀ Announcement ❀ We are honoured to announce the birth of the second Royal Child of Their Majesties The King and Queen, a Prince, on the…"", Instagram, 2020-03-19; "Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema on Instagram: "❀ Announcement ❀ We are honoured to announce the birth of the second Royal Child of Their Majesties The King and Queen, a Prince, on the…"", Instagram, 2020-03-19; "The king and queen of Bhut en.wikipedia.org
  14. Wikipedia, "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "King's assent leads Himalayan nation of Bhutan to become latest country to decriminalise same-sex activity", Human Dignity Trust, 18 March 2021 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  15. "King's assent leads Himalayan nation of Bhutan to become latest country to decriminalise same-sex activity", Human Dignity Trust, 18 March 2021. facts only, no text reused. humandignitytrust.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

More in Asian & Middle Eastern Monarchs & Strongmen

Jigme Singye WangchuckKim Jong-ilFouad ChehabHafez al-AssadHafizullah AminHassan II of MoroccoHassanal BolkiahHeydar AliyevHun SenHussein of JordanIslam KarimovIsmail Haniyeh

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

Spotted an error? Know more?

Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced

Comments

Loading…
Open in the interactive codex →