Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Dragon Prince of Bhutan

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

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

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Druk Gyalsey (Dragon Prince) of Bhutan was born on February 5, 2016, at the Lingkana Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan. He is the elder of the two sons of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan. Jigme Namgyel is the heir apparent to the throne of Bhutan. Before his birth, his paternal uncle Prince Jigyel Ugyen of Bhutan was the heir presumptive.

In honor of Jigme Namgyel’s birth, all 82,000 households in Bhutan planted a tree and volunteers planted another 26,000 in various districts around the country, for a total of 108,000 trees.

Volunteers plant trees in honor of the new prince’s birth; Credit – EcoWatch

As is customary in Bhutan, the Crown Prince’s name was not announced until a special Buddhist naming ceremony was held. The naming ceremony was held on April 16, 2016, Zhabdrung Kuchoe, Bhutan’s national day of celebration, at the Punakha Dzong, a 17th-century palace housing the relics of a famous Buddhist master in Punakha, the administrative capital of the Punakha district, one of the 20 districts within Bhutan. The national day marks the anniversary of the death in 1651 of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan as a nation. On this day, the people of Bhutan visit local temples and offer gifts to the gods.

The King and Queen arrive for the naming ceremony with the infant Crown Prince; Credit – His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Facebook Page

On the day of the ceremony, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema prayed at a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, before driving to Punakha.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel giving his speech; Credit – His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Facebook Page

At the public ceremony, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel explained the meaning behind his son’s names in a special speech. An English translation of the speech was posted on his official Facebook page:

“Jigme means fearless. It symbolizes great courage to overcome any challenge that he may confront in the future as he serves our country.

Namgyel means victorious in all directions and victory over all obstacles. It is a name taken from the revered Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, who enabled the Dharma to flourish in all directions as prophesied by Guru Rinpoche.

Wangchuck is the name of the royal lineage and dynasty. (Note: In Bhutan, only members of the royal family have traditional surnames.)

When the time comes for Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck to serve his country, he must always place the concerns of his country above all else and serve his people justly with great love and dedication. It will be his sacred responsibility to build a harmonious and just society, and thereby, fulfill all the aspirations of his people. He must live such a life as a good human being and serve his country in a manner that it will be exemplary and worthy of emulation.”

Jigme Namgyel has one younger brother and one younger sister:

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Works Cited

  • DW.COM. 2016. Bhutan Names New Crown Prince Jigme Namgyal Wangchuck | DW | 16.04.2016. [online] Available at: <https://www.dw.com/en/bhutan-names-new-crown-prince-jigme-namgyal-wangchuck/a-19192920> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Namgyel_Wangchuck> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • HELLO!. 2016. The Newborn Prince Of Bhutan Will Get His Name In April. [online] Available at: <https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2016030968997/prince-of-bhutan-to-be-named-in-april/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • Kuenselonline.com. 2016. His Royal Highness The Gyalsey Is Born – Kuenselonline. [online] Available at: <https://kuenselonline.com/his-royal-highness-the-gyalsey-is-born-2/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].
  • PEOPLE.com. 2016. Bhutan’s Dragon Prince Has A Name, King Jigme And Queen Jetsun Announce. [online] Available at: <https://people.com/royals/bhutans-dragon-prince-has-a-name-king-jigme-and-queen-jetsun-announce/> [Accessed 7 August 2020].