Happy National Day! Bhutan’s Dragon King and Queen Jetsun Pema don traditional dress as they step out for country’s annual celebrations with their two sons
- King and Queen of Bhutan stepped out in the country’s capitol Thimphu today
- National Day is marked with address by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuc
- Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was no mass public gathering this year
The King and Queen of Bhutan have stepped out in the country’s capital to celebrate their National Day today.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 40, and Queen Jetsun Pema ,30, visited Bhutan’s largest city of Thimphu on the nation’s 113th National Day.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was no mass public gathering this year, but the pair were joined by their sons four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, and his little brother, eight-month-old Prince Jigme Ugyen.
Queen Jetsun Pema ,30, is pictured holding her youngest son, nine-month-old Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck at the National Day celebrations
King Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, is pictured with His Holiness the Je Khenpo with Her Majesty the Royal Grandmother at the event
Four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, posed with His Holiness the Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan
They were also greeted by His Holiness the Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan, and other Bhutanese monks.
The royals wore traditional Bhutanese dress, with Queen Jetsun donning a long, ankle-length gown, known as a Kira while King Jigme and their sons wore a gho, which is a long robe similar to the Tibetan chuba.
King Jigme addressed those in attendance from the Punakha Dzong, otherwise known as the Palace of Great Happiness, and was seen resting his head on the Bhutanese flag ahead of the speech.
Queen Jetsun was seen posing with a group of monks while still holding her youngest son at the event while King Jigme walked with Her Majesty, the Royal Grandmother.
King Jigme addressed those in attendance from the Punakha Dzong, otherwise known as the Palace of Great Happiness
The royals wore traditional Bhutanese dress, with Queen Jetsun donning a long, ankle-length gown, known as a Kira
The Bhutanese national day is observed every year in every Bhutan district to celebrate the coronation of the 1st King of Bhutan on 17th December 1907.
Celebrations are traditionally held at Changlimithang Stadium and include a public address by the Druk Gyalpo – the Dragon King – and a procession including a statue of Ugyen Wangchuck to honor the first Druk Gyalpo and the independent Bhutanese nation.
The celebrations were held nearby Dechencholing Palace, where earlier this year Princess Eeuphelma of Bhutan, 27, the younger half-sister of King Jigme, secretly wed pilot Dasho Thinlay Norbu, 28, who is the younger brother of the Bhutanese Queen.
Queen Jetsun was seen posing with a group of monks while still holding her youngest son Prince Jigme Ugyen at the event
Crown Prince Jigme was pictured wearing the traditional gho, which is a long robe similar to the Tibetan chuba
It marks yet another union between siblings of the couple – the Queen’s older sister Yeatso Lhamo is married to the King’s brother Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
Details of the ceremony were kept a secret up until the very day, but the court shared beautiful pictures of the couple in traditional attire on Instagram to mark the occasion.
It has been reported that members of the Bhutanese royal family all attended the union of Eeuphelma and Dasho after former King Jigme Singye gave his blessing.