Monthly Archives: August 2014

King Letsie III of Lesotho

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Letsie III of Lesotho; Credit – By 首相官邸ホームページ, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112032290

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a country completely within the borders of South Africa. From 1822 – 1868, Lesotho was called Basutoland and was ruled by King Moshoeshoe I, the son of a minor tribal chief. In 1868, Basutoland became a British Crown Colony.  Kings and then Paramount Chiefs still held power in Basutoland during the period of British colonization.  Basutoland gained its independence from the United Kingdom and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966. King Letsie’s father, King Moshoeshoe II, was the first King of Lesotho.

King Letsie III of Lesotho was born July 17, 1963, at Scott Hospital in Morija in the British Crown Colony of Basutoland, now the African country of Lesotho.  He was named Mohato Bereng Seeiso and was christened into the Roman Catholic Church as David. His parents were King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho and Queen Mamohato Bereng Seeiso (née Princess Tabita ‘Masentle Lerotholi Mojela).

King Letsie had two siblings:

King Letsie began his primary education in 1968 at Iketsetseng Private School in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. In 1973, he went to the United Kingdom to attend St Martin’s Ampleforth, a Roman Catholic independent preparatory school run by the Benedictine Order in Yorkshire, England. King Letsie then began to attend his father’s alma mater, Ampleforth College in 1977, which is affiliated with St Martin’s Ampleforth. He completed his secondary education at Ampleforth College in 1980. From 1980 to 1984 King Letsie attended the National University of Lesotho where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in law. From 1984 and 1986 he completed a Diploma in English Legal Studies at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. In 1989, King Letsie studied Development Studies at the University of Cambridge. At the same time, he was enrolled at Wye College of the University of London where he studied agricultural economics.

In 1990, King Moshoeshoe II was deposed and Letsie became king. He took the name Letsie in honor of King Letsie I, the eldest son of King Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basotho nation. In 1991, former King Moshoeshoe II was allowed to return to Lesotho as a citizen. King Letsie III, who was embarrassed at being king while his father was still alive, tried in vain to persuade the government to reinstate his father as king, and in August 1994 he enacted a new coup d’état with the army. Having obtained power, Letsie promised to return it to the previous government on the condition that Moshoeshoe II would return to being King of Lesotho, achieving this result in 1995. King Moshoeshoe II’s second reign was brief. In the Maloti Mountains in Lesotho, 57-year-old Moshoeshoe and his chauffeur were killed when their car plunged off a mountain road during the early hours of January 15, 1996, and Letsie became king again.

King Letsie became engaged to Anna Karabo Mots’oeneng, the eldest child of Thekiso and ‘Makarabo Mots’oeneng, on October 23, 1999. The queen-to-be was born in Mapoteng in the Berea District of Lesotho. She attended the National University of Lesotho and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. The couple was married on February 18, 2000, in the Lesotho capital city of Maseru. The ceremony was held at the national sports stadium with a crowd of 40,000 people watching. Maseru’s Roman Catholic Archbishop Bernard Mohlalisi officiated at the ceremony.

WEDDING OF KING LETSIE III

Photo Credit – www.corbisimages.com

King Letsie and Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso have three children:

The Lesotho Royal Family; Credit – https://face2faceafrica.com/

In April 2006, King Letsie’s brother, Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry formed a charity called Sentebale to support organizations working with Lesotho’s disadvantaged young people and children, particularly those orphaned as a result of HIV and AIDS.  Find out more about Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s charity at the official website: Sentebale.

Seeiso_Harry_Lesotho

Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry join some children in a kneeling dance in Lesotho; Credit – www.thetimes.co.uk

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty

Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 15th Ruler and 5th Emir of Kuwait

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Sheikh_Sabah_IV

Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait; Credit – Wikipedia

Originally a sheikhdom ruled by local sheikhs, Kuwait became a British Protectorate in 1899. The sheikhs still had power during the British Protectorate. Kuwait was granted independence in 1961 and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, 11th Ruler of Kuwait became the first Emir of Kuwait. The rulers of Kuwait belong to the House of Al-Sabah.

The Emir of Kuwait is nominated by a family council headed by prominent family members. The Crown Prince of Kuwait, who must be a senior member of the House of Al-Sabah, is also nominated by the family council. The Kuwaiti parliament must approve both the Emir and the Crown Prince.

Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was born on June 16, 1929 in Kuwait City, Kuwait. He was the son of Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 10th Ruler of Kuwait from 1944 – 1950, and Munira Al-Ayyar of Jahra. Sabah’s father had ten wives and 24 children.

Sabah had one full sister Sheikha Al-Anoud Al-Ahmad. His prominent half-siblings include:

Sabah’s early education began at the Al Mubarakiyya School, established in 1911 as one of Kuwait’s first modern educational institutions. He then completed his education with private tutors.

Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah married his cousin Sheikha Fatuwah bint Salman al-Sabah, who died in 1990. The couple had three sons and one daughter:

  • Sheikh Nasser (1948 – 2020)
  • Sheikh Hamed
  • Sheikh Ahmed, died in a car accident in 1969
  • Sheikha Salwa (1951-2002), died of breast cancer

Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah was Foreign Minister of Kuwait between 1963 and 2003. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and afterward, the Gulf War was fought. Sabah was involved in restoring the country after the Iraqi invasion. On July 13, 2003, Sabah became Prime Minister of Kuwait.

Sheik Sabah_Obama

Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait meets with President Barack Obama at the White House in 2013; Photo Credit – http://www.whitehouse.gov

On January 15, 2006, Jaber III al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, who was the half-brother of Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah died. The new Emir of Kuwait was Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, the eldest son of Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1950 to 1965. However, after a nine-day reign, Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, who suffered from colon cancer, abdicated. On January 24, 2006, the Kuwaiti parliament voted Saad out of office, moments before an official letter of abdication was received. The Kuwait Cabinet nominated Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah bin Ahmad Al-Sabah to take over as Emir as expected.

Sabah was a respected regional and international mediator due in part to his leadership in the Gulf Cooperation Council and his forty years of service as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called Sabah a “global humanitarian leader”, saying, “His support of disaster relief, peace efforts, and advancing public health are an inspiration. Other world leaders can learn from the wise example set by my friend, His Highness the Emir.”

In July 2020, Emir Sabah was flown to the United States for medical treatment following surgery for an unspecified condition in Kuwait earlier that month. Sabah IV bin Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait died at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on September 29, 2020, at the age of 91, due to long-term health issues.  His 83-year-old half-brother Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed was named by the cabinet as his successor.

The mourners, led by Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah of Kuwait perform the funeral prayer over the body of the late Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Bilal bin Rabah Mosque; Credit – https://www.alkhaleejtoday.co/

Typically tens of thousands of mourning Kuwaitis and many foreign leaders and dignitaries would have attended Emir Sabah’s funeral. However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the burial was a private service restricted to relatives. Emir Sabah was buried in Sulaibikhat Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Kuwait, alongside his relatives, after prayers at Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Kuwait City where all mourners wore face masks.

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August 4, 2014 World War I Commemorations

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Liege, Belgium where early action in World War I took place; Photo Credit – http://www.bbc.com / European Photo Press Agency

100 years ago today, on August 4, 1914, the United Kingdom entered World War I by declaring war on Germany. Many commemorations were held today, attended by many royals.
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BBC: In pictures: World War One anniversary
Check out Unofficial Royalty’s area Royalty and World War I

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia

by Scott Mehl   © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia; Credit – Wikipedia

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 14, 1953. He is the eldest son of King Norodom Sihanouk and his sixth wife, Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, born Monique Izzi.

Norodom Sihamoni had one brother:

Norodom Sihamoni had thirteen half-siblings from his father’s first five marriages:

Mother: Phat Kanhol (? – 1969)

Mother: Sisowath Pongsanmoni

  • Prince Norodom Yuvaneath (1943 – 2021), had two wives and six children
  • Norodom Ravivong (1944 – 1973), died from malaria
  • Prince Norodom Chakrapong (born 1945), had seven wives and thirteen children
  • Norodom Sorya Roeungsi (1947 – 1976), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Norodom Kantha Bopha (1948 – 1952), died from leukemia
  • Norodom Khemanourak (1949 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Norodom Botum Bopha (1951 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge

Mother: Sisowath Monikessan, died in childbirth

Mother: Mam Manivan (1934 – 1975)

  • Norodom Sujata (1953 – 1975), disappeared under Khmer Rouge
  • Princess Norodom Arunrasmy (born 1955), had two husbands and five children

In 1962, at just nine years old, he was sent to Czechoslovakia where he received his elementary and secondary education. He studied music and classical dance at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, graduating in 1975. He then moved to North Korea where he studied filmmaking and returned to Cambodia in 1977. Upon his return, Sihamoni, along with his family, was placed under house arrest by the Khmer Rouge until the Vietnamese invasion in 1979. Sihamoni moved to France in 1981 where he taught ballet and remained there for nearly 20 years before returning once again to Cambodia. During this time, he also served as a delegate to UNESCO.

photo: BBC/AP

photo: BBC/AP

Citing his poor health, Sihamoni’s father, King Sihanouk, announced his abdication in October 2004. Unlike most monarchies, the succession to the Cambodian throne is not hereditary. The monarch is elected for life by the Royal Council of the Throne, consisting of members of the royal family, government officials, and religious figures. Upon his father’s abdication, Sihamoni was unanimously elected as the next King of Cambodia on October 14, 2004. His formal enthronement took place on October 29, 2004. Following an anointing ceremony at a sacred temple, the new King proceeded to the Royal Hall, within the Royal Palace complex, where he received his crown.

King Norodom Sihamoni remains a major patron of the arts, particularly dance. He regularly returns to Prague, which he considers his “second home” and maintains close contact with the family he lived with during his early years there. He is unmarried and has no children.

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August 1914: Royalty and World War I

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New York Times, August 2, 1914; Photo Credit – http://collections.yadvashem.org

by Susan Flantzer

Introduction
Timeline: June 28, 1914 – August 31, 1914
A Note About German Titles
August 1914 – Royals Who Died In Action


Introduction

This is the first of what we hope will be a monthly feature during the duration of the centenary of World War I. The plan is to have an introduction related to a World War I event that occurred during that particular month, followed by a general timeline of events for that month, and concluding with the royals who died in action during that month. The links above can be used to jump to the different sections.

August 1914 marks the start of World War I, one of the deadliest conflicts in human history with 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded (numbers include military and civilian casualties). Statistic for August 2014: 27,000 French soldiers were killed in a single day on August 22, 1914.

The Pulitzer Prize winning classic book The Guns of August (also published as August 1914) by Barbara Tuchman, published in 1962, details the first month of World War I. The book’s first chapter opens with the funeral of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom in May 1910, which was attended by nine kings, and then the chapter goes on to discuss Europe’s alliances and the diplomacy of royalty. King Edward VII was related to many of the royals on European thrones as World War I started. Despite being royal, these people also were members of an extended family that was affected personally by the war in a variety of ways. Below is a list of Edward VII’s relatives who sat on thrones in 1914.

Edward VII’s son: King George V of the United Kingdom
Edward VII’s daughter: Queen Maud of Norway
Edward VII’s son-in-law: King Haakon VII of Norway

Edward VII’s nephews and nieces (also grandchildren of Queen Victoria and all first cousins)

Edward VII’s nephews and nieces by marriage (nephews and nieces of his wife born Princess Alexandra of Denmark, also grandchildren of King Christian IX of Denmark and all first cousins)

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Timeline: June 28, 1914 – August 31, 1914

  • June 28 – Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne, and his wife in Sarajevo by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip
  • July 5 – Austria-Hungary seeks German support for a war against Serbia in case of Russian mobilization; Germany gives assurances of support
  • July 23 – Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to Serbia; Serbia’s response is unsatisfactory to Austria-Hungary
  • July 28 – Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia; Russia mobilizes its forces
  • July 31 -Germany warns Russia to stop mobilizing; Russia says mobilization is against Austria-Hungary only
  • August 1 – Germany declares war on Russia; Italy declares its neutrality; Germany and the Ottoman Empire sign a secret alliance treaty
  • August 2 – Germany invades Luxembourg; Skirmish at Joncherey (France) the first military action on the Western Front
  • August 2-26 – Germany sieges and captures Longwy, France near the Luxembourg border, opening France to German invasion
  • August 3 – Germany declares war on France; Belgium does not allow German arms through to the French border
  • August 4 – Germany invades Belgium to outflank the French army; United Kingdom protests the violation of Belgian neutrality guaranteed by a treaty; German Chancellor replies that the treaty is just a scrap of paper; United Kingdom declares war on Germany; United States declares its neutrality
  • August 4–August 16 – Germans besiege and capture the fortresses of Liège, Belgium: Battle of Liège
  • August 5 – Montenegro declares war on Austria-Hungary; Ottoman Empire closes the Dardanelles, straits that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea
  • August 6 – Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia; Serbia declares war on Germany
  • August 7 – British Expeditionary Force arrives in France
  • August 7–September 13 – Battle of the Frontiers fought in eastern France and southern Belgium; Germans are victorious against the British Expeditionary Force and France’s Fifth Army
  • August 7-August 10 – Battle of Mulhouse (France), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 9 – Montenegro declares war on Germany; Togoland Campaign begins (Togoland was a German protectorate in West Africa, now it comprises Togo and part of Ghana)
  • August 11 – France declares war on Austria-Hungary
  • August 12 – United Kingdom declares war on Austria-Hungary; Battle of Haelen (Belgium), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 14-August 25 – Battle of Lorraine (France), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 16–August 19 – Serbs defeat the Austro-Hungarians at the Battle of Cer (Serbia)
  • August 17 – Russian army enters East Prussia; Battle of Stalluponen (East Prussia now Nesterov, Russia)
  • August 20 – Germans launch a failed attack against the Russians in East Prussia, the Battle of Gumbinnen (East Prussia now Gusev, Russia); Germans occupy Brussels, Belgium; Battle of Morhange (France), a phase of the Battle of Lorraine; Battle of Sarrebourg (France), a phase of the Battle of Lorraine.
  • August 21 – Battle of Charleroi (Belgium), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 21-August 23 – Battle of the Ardennes (a forest in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 22 – Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium
  • August 23 – Japan declares war on Germany; Battle of Mons (Belgium), a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers
  • August 23–August 30 – Battle of Tannenberg (Allenstein, East Prussia now Olsztyn, Poland) resulting in a heavy defeat for the Russians by the Germans
  • August 23–September 11 – Battle of Galicia (Lemberg, Galicia now Lviv, Ukraine)
  • August 23–August 25 – Battle of Kraśnik (Russia Poland, Russian Empire now in Poland), a phase of the Battle of Lemberg; Austro-Hungarian First Army defeats the Russian Fourth Army
  • August 24 – Action of Elouges (Belgium); Battle of the Mortagne (France), a phase of the Battle of Lorraine
  • August 24–September 7 – Germans besiege and capture the Maubeuge Fortress in France
  • August 24-September 28 – Allied Great Retreat to the River Marne (From Mons, Belgium to River Marne, France)
  • August 25 – Japan declares war on Austria-Hungary
  • August 26 – British and French forces conquer Togoland, a German protectorate in West Africa which now comprises Togo and part of Ghana; Battle of Le Grand Fayt (France)
  • August 26–August 27 – Battle of Le Cateau (Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France); Allied retreat
  • August 26-August 30 – Battle of Gnila Lipa (Russian Poland, now Poland), a phase of the Battle of Lemberg
  • August 26-September 2 – Battle of Komarow (Komarow and Zamość, Russian Poland now in Poland), a phase of the Battle of Lemberg
  • August 27 – Battle of Étreux (France)
  • August 27–November 7 – Battle of Tsingtao; British and Japanese forces capture the German-controlled port of Tsingtao in China
  • August 28 – British Royal Navy wins the First Battle of Heligoland Bight
  • August 29–August 30 – Battle of Saint Quentin (Guise, France), aka Battle of Guise; Orderly Allied retreat
  • August 30 – New Zealand occupies German Samoa in the South Pacific (later Western Samoa)

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A Note About German Titles

Most of the royals who died in action during World War I were German. The German Empire consisted of 27 constituent states, most of them ruled by royal families. Scroll down to German Empire here to see what constituent states made up the German Empire.  The constituent states retained their own governments, but had limited sovereignty. Some had their own armies, but the military forces of the smaller ones were put under Prussian control. In wartime, armies of all the constituent states would be controlled by the Prussian Army and the combined forces were known as the Imperial German Army.  German titles may be used in Royals Who Died In Action below. Refer to our Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles.

24 British peers were also killed in World War I and they will be included in the list of those who died in action. In addition, more than 100 sons of peers also lost their lives, and those that can be verified will also be included.

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August 1914 – Royals Who Died In Action

Nine royals died in August 1914 and four of them are related.  The Lippe-Biesterfeld family and its Saxe-Meiningen relatives took a big hit. Adelheid of Lippe-Biesterfeld, whose husband Prinz Friedrich of Saxe-Meiningen died on August 23, 1814, lost not only her husband, but also her son, her brother and her nephew…all dead within 22 days!

The list is in chronological order according to the date of death and does contain some who would be considered noble instead of royal. The links in the last bullet for each person is that person’s genealogical information from Leo’s Genealogics Website or from The Peerage. If a person has a Wikipedia page, their name will be linked to that page.

Friedrich Wilhelm, Prinz of Lippe-Biesterfeld
friedrich_wilhelm_zur_lippe_medium

Ottokar, Graf of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Georges Alexandre Lamoral, Prince de Ligne

Friedrich, Prinz of Saxe-Meiningen
FriedrichSaxeMeiningen

Robert Cornwallis Maude, 6th Viscount Hawarden

Ernst, Prinz of Saxe-Meiningen

Friedrich Albert, Graf zu Rechteren-Limpurg-Speckfeld

Ernst, Prinz of Lippe-Biesterfeld

Helmut, Freiherr von Cornberg

Robert, Graf zu Stolberg-Wernigerode

Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles

When dealing with German royals and nobles, we often see their titles in German. A glossary of these titles is below. The Weimar Constitution of 1919 abolished noble and royal titles and the current constitution, the German Basic Law, states that titles are only valid as part of a surname.

For more information, see:
Wikipedia: German Nobility
Heraldica: The German Nobility

  • Altgraf/Altgräfin – Altgrave/Altgravine – used by the counts of Lower Salm to distinguish themselves from the Wild- and Rhinegraves of Upper Salm
  • Burggraf/Burggräfin – Burgrave/Burgravine – hereditary governor of a castle or town
  • Edler/Edle – Noble – lowest rank of nobility in Austria-Hungary and Germany
  • Erzherzog(in) – Archduke/Archduchess – used by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria and later by all members of that dynasty
  • Freiherr/Freifrau – Baron(ess) – literally “free lord,” third lowest rank within the nobility
  • Freiin – unmarried daughter of a baron
  • Fürst(in) – Prince(ss) *see note below
  • Graf/Gräfin – Count(ess) – equivalent to the British earl
  • Grossherzog(in) – Grand Duke/Grand Duchess – a lesser sovereign in Germanic countries, ranking below a king but higher than a sovereign duke
  • Herr / Edler Herr – Lord / Noble Lord -similar to Edler
  • Herzog(in) – Duke/Duchess – hereditary ruler of a territorial duchy
  • Kaiser(in) – Emperor/Empress – emperors of the German Empire, the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire
  • König(in) – King/Queen
  • Kronprinz(essin) – Crown Prince(ss) – heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy
  • Kurfürst(in) – Prince-Elector/Electress – members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire
  • Landgraf/Landgräfin – Landgrave/Landgravine – ruled over an entire province or a large territory
  • Markgraf/Markgräfin – Margrave/Margravine – originally ruled over territory on the border of the Holy Roman Empire
  • Pfalzgraf/Pfalzgräfin – Count(ess) Palatine
  • Prinz(essin) – Prince(ss) *see note below
  • Reichsfreiherr/Reichsfreifrau – Baron(ess) of the Empire
  • Reichsgraf/Reichsgräfin – Count(ess) of the Empire
  • Ritter – Knight – second lowest rank within the nobility

*Fürst/Prince was used for a reigning sovereign ruler or monarch. The present-day rulers of the Principality of Liechtenstein bear the title of Fürst and the title is also used in German when referring to the ruling princes the Principality of Monaco. Non-reigning descendants of a Fürst are referred to in German as Prinz (prince) or Prinzessin (princess).

Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Wikipedia

Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan 7 Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei; Credit – Wikipedia

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei (full name: Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien) was born on July 15, 1946, in Brunei Town, now called Bandar Seri Begawan. He is the eldest son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III of Brunei and Rani Isteri Pengiran Anak Damit.

Following his early education in Brunei, he attended the Victorian Institution in Kuala Lumpur and then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. On October 4, 1967, his father abdicated and Hassanal Bolkiah became the 29th Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan (Head of State) of Brunei.  He is also Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Finance.  At the time, Brunei was a protectorate of the United Kingdom.  However, the Sultan oversaw negotiations with Britain leading to Brunei’s independence in 1984.

The Sultan and Sultanah at the marriage ceremony of their daughter, 2012. Photo: Daily Mail

The Sultan and Sultanah at the 2012 marriage ceremony of their daughter, 
Photo: Daily Mail

The Sultan has had three wives and twelve children. On July 28, 1965, Hassanal Bolkiah married his paternal first cousin Saleha Mohamed Alam who was styled Her Majesty The Sultanah of Brunei after her husband became Sultan. Saleha and Hassanal Bolkiah had two sons and four daughters:

In 1982, Hassanal Bolkiah married a second wife Mariam Abdul Aziz, a former flight attendant for Royal Brunei Airlines. The Sultan divorced her for nusyuz, disobeying or opposing the will of the husband in 2003, and stripped her of all her titles. Four children were born from the marriage:

In 2005, Hassanal Bolkiah married Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim, a former Malaysian TV3 presenter. The Sultan divorced her for nusyuz, disobeying or opposing the will of the husband in 2010, and stripped her of all her titles. Two children were born from the marriage:

  • Prince Abdul Wakeel (born 2006)
  • Princess Ameerah Wardatul (born 2008)

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Sultanah Saleha reside at Nurul Iman Palace, a massive place with nearly 1,800 rooms. According to Guinness World Records, it is the largest residential palace in the world, and the largest single-family residence ever built.  As well as being the Sultan’s home and office, the palace also holds his immense car collection.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

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 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

King Jigme Khesar married Jetsun Pema in their wedding day – 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 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:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.