Prince Jigme Namgyel of Bhutan cuddles up with Prince Jigme Ugyen in an adorable snap
The King and Queen of Bhutan have shared several adorable new family photographs to mark the anniversary of the royal coronation.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 40, and Queen Jetsun Pema posted a selection of photographs on Instagram yesterday ahead of the 12th anniversary on 1 November.
In one portrait, four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, could be seen cuddling up with his little brother, eight-month-old Prince Jigme Ugyen.
The snaps were taken at the Dechencholing Palace where, days ago, Princess Eeuphelma of Bhutan, 27, the younger half-sister of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, tied the knot in a secret ceremony with pilot Dasho Thinlay Norbu, 28, who is the younger brother of the Bhutanese Queen.
The King and Queen of Bhutan have shared several adorable snaps of their sons Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, four, and eight-month-old Prince Jigme Ugyen to mark the anniversary of the royal coronation
In one portrait, four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel, known as the Dragon Prince, could be seen cuddling up with his little brother, Prince Jigme Ugyen
Sharing the photos on the official Instagram page, the royal family wrote: ‘1st of November is celebrated in Bhutan as Coronation Day.
‘On this day in 2008, the formal Coronation Ceremony of His Majesty The King as the Fifth Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan, was held.
‘Most memorable for the people was His Majesty’s Coronation Address, which continues to resonate and move our hearts.
‘On this special occasion, we are honoured to share a special set of Kupars.’
In another snapshot, eight-month-old Prince Jigme Ugyen can be seen sitting in front of a colourful backdrop
Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, who was educated at Oxford, was finally crowned king in 2008
In several photographs, Prince Jigme Namgyel can be seen cuddling up with his younger brother, while in another, Queen Jetsun Pema holds Prince Jigme Ugyen for a family shot.
Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, is the heir to the Bhutanese throne.
King Jigme, the hugely popular fifth Druk Gyalpo, studied in the UK and the US and ascended the throne in 2006, aged just 26 after his own father abdicated.
Unlike his son, who plans to have a monogamous marriage, the former King, who introduced democracy to Bhutan during his reign, has four wives, all sisters who he married on the same day.
In another image, the charming heir-to-the-throne can be seen clutching his little brother in his arms and smiling at the camera
But despite his own upbringing, the current monarch has made clear that he only plans to have one wife, whom he married on October 13, 2011, when she was still an international relations student at Regent’s College in London.
The match made headlines at the time because the young King was more openly affectionate with his wife than citizens were used to – leaving the couple to be called ‘the William and Kate of the Himalayas’.
However, his very public displays of affection – which included kissing his wife on the cheek and holding her hand – was well-received by young people, with many even choosing to follow the royals’ example.
The most recent photographs were released days after the family celebrated a royal wedding between Princess Eeuphelma married Dasho Thinlay Norbu.
The new photographs have been released days after the younger sister of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan, 40, Princess Eeuphelma, 27, married her long-time boyfriend Dasho Thinlay Norbu, 28 in a secret ceremony
Details of the ceremony were kept a secret up until the very day, but the court shared beautiful pictures of the couple in traditional attire on Instagram to mark the occasion.
It’s not known if the ceremony was held in secret due to Covid-19, but Bhutan has been successful in staving off a major outbreak with 346 cases since March among its population of 754,394, and no reported deaths.
The country has closed its main cities to tourists and limiting travel inside the country, as well as implementing national lockdowns and closing schools.
