Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Dragon King of Bhutan

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Dragon King of Bhutan; Credit – Wikipedia

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Dragon King of Bhutan was born on February 21, 1980, at the Dechencholing Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan. He is the eldest son of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck with his third wife, Queen Ashi Tshering Yangdon.

King Jigme has two full siblings:

He has seven half-siblings via his father’s other three wives:

With his first wife – Queen Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck

With his second wife – Queen Tshering Pem Wangchuck

With his fourth wife – Queen Sangay Choden Wangchuck

  • Prince Khasum Singye Wangchuck (1985)
  • Princess Euphelma Choden Wangchuck (1993)

After beginning his education in Bhutan, he attended boarding school in Massachusetts, first at the Phillips Academy and then graduating from the Cushing Academy in 1999. He attended Wheaton College, also in Massachusetts, before enrolling in the Foreign Services Program and earning his Master’s Degree in Politics at Magdalen College, Oxford. He later attended a year-long course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, in leadership development.

In 2005, his father announced his intention to abdicate in favor of Jigme Khesar in 2008, timed to coincide with the first democratic elections in the small nation. He began transferring many of his responsibilities to his son. However, on December 9, 2006, he formally abdicated and Jigme Khesar became the 5th Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) of the Kingdom of Bhutan. At the time, he was the world’s youngest monarch, at just 24 years old.

photo: Zimbio

photo: Zimbio

On October 13, 2011, King Jigme Khesar married Jetsun Pema in a traditional Buddhist ceremony at the Punakha Dzong. As part of the ceremony, he also crowned her as Queen of Bhutan. Several days later, the couple also celebrated a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, on the left, with his family; Credit – Facebook page of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan

The couple has two sons and one daughter:

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