4 days Ago By Ben Jureidini
Often dubbed the ‘most attractive royal couple in the world’, the King and Queen of Bhutan put on a dazzling display while leading National Day celebrations. The Dragon King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and his wife Queen Jetsun Pema, heralded as the ‘ of the Himalayas’ commemorated the 1907 coronation of Bhutan’s first king, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuk, with a powerful speech to the nation. Jetsun, who at 34 is the youngest Queen Consort in the world, accompanied her children to watch King Jigme deliver a heartfelt address to the nation from Changlimithang Stadium.
Their eldest son, Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, is eight-years-old, and the world’s youngest Crown Prince. Alongside his mother and father, Prince Jigme wore national attire for the festivities, as did his siblings, Prince Ugyen Wangchuck, four, and Princess Sonam Yangden Wangchuck, two. In his patriotic National Day speech, the Dragon King reflected on how inspired he was by the Bhutanese people, as their nation continues to exert influence on the world stage.
‘My love for Bhutan and the extraordinary character of our people inspires me every day,’ said the 44-year-old sovereign. ‘Together, we share a vision of a bright future, carrying our legacy into the 21st century. Because of this, I will never tire, never lose hope, and never hesitate.
I am confident in our nation, its people, and our collective ability to succeed.’ And it’s certainly been a year of diplomatic success for the Dragon King and Queen, famed for their progressive values and photogenic charm. In October, they preceded King Charles and Queen Camilla with a state visit to .
The from the ‘Land Of The Thunder Dragon’ proved immensely popular on their first trip to the island, drawing crowds for each of their engagements across a jam-packed eight days. The family was officially welcomed to Australia by the Governor-General, Samantha Mostyn, at Admiralty in Sydney, before travelling to Canberra, where they met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House. At an official audience in Canberra, more than 5,000 locals turned out to see Jigme and Jetsun.
It's perhaps unsurprising that Bhutan's King and Queen drew such crowds: Australia is home to 35,000 Bhutanese people, more than any other country. Bhutan has seen a mass exodus in recent years, with high numbers of professionals and young people leaving the tiny, Himalayan nation for the jobs and infrastructure of Australia. In his national day speech, the King admitted that the trip had been an emotional one, reminding him how much the Bhutanese diaspora miss their homeland.
‘It was a bittersweet experience, as on one hand, it was heartening to see how our people, after many years away from home, are thriving, working hard to support themselves and their families, and upholding our traditions and values with ,’ he said. ‘On the other hand, their deeply emotional welcome showed how much they miss their home and loved ones, and the difficulty of being apart. This is why I am determined to create the conditions that will allow Bhutanese all over the world to return home and enjoy the same opportunities they have sought abroad.
’ Earlier this year, the King and Queen of Bhutan made another successful diplomatic trip to Mongolia. The state visit in July was met with much goodwill. On his official social media channel, the Dragon King wrote a message of gratitude to his Mongolian hosts: ‘With numerous similarities, common cultural and religious ties and interests, Bhutan and Mongolia are destined for closer connections, and the success of the Royal Visit has provided added impetus for the two nations to expand cooperation in multiple, mutually beneficial areas going forward.
’ Of course, British royal watchers may best recognise the Dragon King and Queen from their dazzling display at King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Coronation in 2023. Their natural grace around the ceremony makes sense, Bhutan is one of the last remaining countries in the world to mark the accession of their monarchs with coronations. Perhaps King Jigme Khesar was reminded of his own ceremony in 2008, after the abdication of his father left him as the world’s youngest reigning monarch, an honour now held by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.
Jigme and Jetsun have long drawn comparisons to another young, magnetic royal couple: the Prince and Princess of Wales. Like Kate, Jetsun was a ‘commoner’ before she married her husband in 2011 and, like Kate, she is a popular figure both at home and abroad. In 2016, Bhutan's King and Queen hosted the then Duke and Duchess of for a royal visit, during which the couple visited a mountain monastery, and Kate played archery, the country's national sport.
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