A couple of prominent royal weddings took place last year. Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in April, and Prince Albert of Monaco married former South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock in July. Photos of the happy couples were published everywhere. But what about the other royal wedding? The one that took place in Asia this past October.
I had the privilege of being part of the media team covering the Royal Wedding Celebrations of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and his chosen bride Jetsun Pema. This is their story, in pictures.
The Most Joyous Royal Event of Bhutan
Once upon a time, a seven-year-old little girl said to a 17-year-old young man she met, “Please take me away.” The young man, whose name was Jigme, replied to little Jetsun, “When you grow up, if I am single and not married and if you are single and not married, I would like you to be my wife, provided we still feel the same.”
Fourteen years later, Jetsun had grown into a beautiful, confident young woman and Jigme had become the King of Bhutan. He fulfilled his words by marrying her on October 13, 2011 and making her his queen.
The Wedding: A Buddhist Ceremony
The ceremony took place in Punakha Dzong. Punakha Dzong was built in 1637 and stands at the junction of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu Rivers. Before 1955,
Punakha Dzong served as a Palace. It’s now the winter residence of the Buddhist monks of Bhutan. It’s also the traditional site for royal weddings and coronations.
The King arrived dressed in golden robes and colourful boots. Minutes later, the bride made her entrance and was received by the reception party. The King and the Royal Bride ascended the ceremonial pedestal for the Purification ceremony. They were then blessed by His Majesty, the fourth King, Singye Wangchuck and His Holiness, Je Khenpo.
The pair then proceeded to the temple for a ceremony that was broadcast live on national television. The King’s father gave Jetsun an array of five coloured scarves representing blessings from the tomb. She then approached the King’s throne with a golden chalice filled with the ambrosia of eternal life. They held it together for several seconds and then he drank.
Exactly at 8.20 am, a time deemed most auspicious by royal astrologers, the King, wearing the raven crown, came down from his golden throne in front of a huge statue of Buddha to place a silk brocade crown upon the head of his bride. Monks chanted in celebration as she took her seat beside him as the new queen.
And They Live Happily Ever After
After the wedding, a reporter asked the King how it felt to be married. His reply: “It’s great. You should try it yourself!”
We all grow up with fairy tales. Boy meets Girl, they fall in love. Boy marries Girl and it turns out he’s a prince! In this case, a King. And I was there to witness the real life fairytale.
It doesn’t get any better than this.
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