Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan made a rare public appearance with her husband, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and their three children to mark the New Year.
The Queen of Bhutan, 34, dubbed the ‘Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’, greeted a group of schoolchildren in front of the picturesque mountains of Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, the country’s capital, on January 2.
To commemorate Nyilo, the traditional new year of western Bhutan, children recited the traditional song Lolay to wish the royals happiness and prosperity for the coming months, according to tatler.
The Dragon King, 44, and the Queen seemed delighted to take part in the ancient custom and wore a national costume, in the form of a gho and kira respectively, for the Nyilo celebrations.
The post on the Queen’s Instagram account reads: ‘Nyilo, celebrated as New Year in parts of western Bhutan, means the return of longer days after the winter solstice, according to the Bhutanese calendar.
‘Children visit their homes and recite blessings for a happy and prosperous year, and receive gifts to celebrate the day.
“It has become a cherished tradition for Their Majesties to host children who recite Lolay at Lingkana Palace to celebrate Nyilo every year.”
Often hailed as “the most attractive royal couple in the world”, Queen Jetsun Pema and King Jigme Khesar were accompanied by their three young children: Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, eight, Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, four, and one-year-old Princess Sonam Yangden Wangchuck. .
Queen Jetsun Pema and King Jigme Khesar are accompanied by their three young children: eight-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, four-year-old Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck and one-year-old Princess Sonam Yangden Wangchuck.
Like their father, Prince Jigme Namgyel and Prince Jigme Ugyen wore traditional ghos (a knee-length robe tied with a hand-woven belt) as they listened attentively to the schoolchildren’s New Year blessing.
It is a requirement for men working for the government of Bhutan and boys attending school or college to wear a gho.
Underneath the gho, men wear a white jacket with long cuffs folded back.
Queen Jetsun Pema looked radiant in a bright orange kira made of silk, while her adorable daughter, Princess Sonam Yangden, wore a simple pink coat with a bow on the front.
In September, the Queen of Bhutan shared two sweet photos of the young princess to celebrate Tshechu, a religious festival in Bhutan.
In the post, the one-year-old girl wore a traditional outfit in a deep red shade with colorful prints.
The King and Queen of Bhutan greet a group of schoolchildren in front of the picturesque mountains of Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, the country’s capital, on January 2.
Queen Jetsun Pema shared two photos of her daughter, Sonam Yangden Wangchuck (pictured), on her first birthday.
The royals shared never-before-seen images to commemorate Tshechu, a religious festival celebrated in Bhutan.
The ever-proud mother, Queen Jetsun Pema, wrote: ‘Happy Tsechu Holiday to everyone in Thimphu!
“To celebrate, we are delighted to share these photographs of HRH Gyalsem Sonam Yangden Wangchuck taken on her first birthday on September 9, 2024.”
Sonam is a Bhutanese name that denotes “merit, longevity and good fortune.”
King Jigme Khesar, the hugely popular Fifth Druk Gyalpo, studied in the United Kingdom and the United States before ascending the throne in 2006, aged just 26, after his own father abdicated.
The former king, who introduced democracy to Bhutan during his reign, has four wives, all sisters, whom he married on the same day.
But despite his own upbringing, the current monarch has made it clear that he only plans to have one wife.
Queen Jetsun Pema and King Jigme Khesar married on October 13, 2011, the same year as Prince William and Princess Catherine.
At the time of her wedding, Queen Jetsun Pema was still a student of international relations at Regent’s College London, making her the youngest queen consort in the world.
The King and Queen of Bhutan arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
Queen Jetsun Pema (pictured May 2023) attends the coronation reception at Buckingham Palace. She has been nicknamed the ‘Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’.
The marriage made headlines at the time because the young king was more openly affectionate toward his wife than the citizens were accustomed to, leading the couple to be called “the William and Catherine of the Himalayas.”
However, the king’s public displays of affection, which included kissing his wife on the cheek and holding her hand, were well received by young people, and many even chose to follow the royal example.
In 2023, the King and Queen of Bhutan joined world royalty at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa Al Hussein of Jordan, and attended king charles‘Coronation in London at the beginning of May.
The couple have an unusually close-knit family, with the King’s sister and brother married to the Queen’s brother and sister.
The queen’s older sister, Yeatso Lhamo, is married to the king’s brother, Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.