His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck smiles during his coronation held at the ceremonial grounds of The Tendrey Thang on November 6, 2008 in Thimphu, Bhutan. The young Bhutanese king, aged 28, becomes the world’s youngest reigning monarch. He was handed the Raven Crown by his father, the former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, in an ornate ceremony. Thimpu is the capital of Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom and Buddhist nation of 635,000 people, wedged geographically between China and India.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck born 21 February 1980 is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty. He is currently the world’s youngest head of state. Khesar is the eldest son of the fourth and previous Dragon King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and his father’s third wife, Queen (Ashi) Tshering Yangdon. He has a younger sister and brother, as well as four half-sisters and three half-brothers. He is unmarried.
He was officially crowned on 6 November 2008, in the month of the male earth rat, at the royal palace in Thimphu. The lavish coronation ceremony comprised an ancient and colourful ritual, attended by thousands of foreign dignitaries, including President of India Pratibha Patil, Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Bollywood stars. Khesar will witness the first Indian sponsored performance, Astad Deboo, on 7 November, followed by shows to create a jugalbandi with Bhutanese performers. Astad will be backed on stage by 30 Manipur pungcholam drummers. The series of special performances were choreographed by Padma Shri Astad Deboo.
CNN reported that people painted the street signs, hung festive banners, decorated traffic circles with fresh flowers to celebrate the occasion and welcome the new king. He became the world’s youngest monarch at the age of 28.
