Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck

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Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
5th King of Bhutan
Reign December 14, 2006 - Present
Coronation Official Coronation in 2008
Born February 21, 1980 (1980-02-21) (age 27)
Dechenchholing Palace?,
Thimphu, Bhutan
Predecessor Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Heir Presumptive Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck
Successor Incumbent
Consort Unmarried
Father Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Mother Queen (Ashi) Tshering Yangdon

Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (born February 21, 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty.[1] He is the world's youngest head of state.

Contents

Namgyal is the oldest son of the Bhutanese king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and his father's third wife, Queen (Ashi) Tshering Yangdon.

He has a younger full sister and brother and also four half-sisters and three half-brothers by his father's other three wives (all of his father's wives are sisters). He is unmarried.

After completing his basic education in Bhutan, Namgyal studied abroad at Phillips Academy (Andover), the Cushing Academy and Wheaton College in Massachusetts, United States, before graduating from Magdalen College, Oxford University, United Kingdom, where he completed the Foreign Service Program and an MPhil in Politics.[2]

He has travelled abroad, officially representing Bhutan on several occasions and has an active role in numerous cultural, educational and economic organizations.

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.[3] On December 14, 2006, he announced his immediate abdication and transfer of the throne to Jigme Khesar Wangchuck.

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As Crown Prince of Bhutan, he attended Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th Anniversary Celebrations on June 12-June 13, 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 departed Thailand.[4]

A poll run by the ABAC polling center at Assumption University listed Namgyal as the most popular of the visiting royals. However, the poll was thought by some to be making light of a solemn occasion involving the Thai monarch. Hours after the poll was released, the ABAC center's director, Nophadol Kanika, retracted its results.[5]

Internet visitors to the Thai Internet forum Pantip.com flooded the website with postings about the crown prince. Among the posts is a photo of him with an unknown woman. Thai-language daily newspapers later featured the photo.[6] The country's Department of Special Investigation launched a probe into the source of the image, whose publication is considered to be an invasion of privacy, and threatened to prosecute anyone who distributed it in the future.[7]

In November 2006, he returned to Thailand to dedicate the Bhutan Garden at the Royal Flora Ratchapruek Exhibition in Chiang Mai Province. He also accepted an honorary degree from Rangsit University in Bangkok.[8][9]

  1. ^ Boston Globe Bhutan's new king committed to democracy, December 18, 2006.
  2. ^ His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
  3. ^ BBC, "Bhutan king announces abdication", December 18, 2005.
  4. ^ The New Paper, "Red hot Prince Charming", June 21, 2006.
  5. ^ The Nation, "Abac backs down on poll on royals", June 22, 2006.
  6. ^ Thai Rath, page 1, top left corner (print edition), June 28, 2006.
  7. ^ ThaiDay, "DSI sweeps into action over Jigme photograph", June 28, 2006.
  8. ^ The Nation. Bhutan prince charms fans at floral expo. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  9. ^ The Nation. Prince, Thailand have mutual adoration. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.


Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck
House of Wangchuck
Born: 12 February 1980
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Jigme Singye Wangchuck		 Dragon King of Bhutan
2006-		 Incumbent
Designated heir:
Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Khesar_Namgyal_Wangchuck"
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