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| Lavish coronation for Bhutan king | Lavish coronation for Bhutan king |
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| The new king of Bhutan has been crowned in a lavish coronation ceremony in the isolated Himalayan kingdom. | The new king of Bhutan has been crowned in a lavish coronation ceremony in the isolated Himalayan kingdom. |
| King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 28, an Oxford-educated bachelor, becomes the world's youngest monarch. | King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 28, an Oxford-educated bachelor, becomes the world's youngest monarch. |
| He has become head of state of the world's newest democracy after his father abdicated in 2006 as Bhutan changed to a constitutional monarchy. | He has become head of state of the world's newest democracy after his father abdicated in 2006 as Bhutan changed to a constitutional monarchy. |
| Bhutan held its first democratic elections for a new parliament and prime minister in March. | Bhutan held its first democratic elections for a new parliament and prime minister in March. |
| The coronation of the Buddhist nation's fifth hereditary king fell in what is known in Bhutan as the month of the male earth rat. | The coronation of the Buddhist nation's fifth hereditary king fell in what is known in Bhutan as the month of the male earth rat. |
| Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said three enlightened astrologers had jointly proposed 6 November as the most auspicious date for the "historic occasion". | Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said three enlightened astrologers had jointly proposed 6 November as the most auspicious date for the "historic occasion". |
| 'Gross National Happiness' | 'Gross National Happiness' |
| The ceremony comprised an ancient and colourful ritual in a white-walled royal palace in the capital, Thimphu. | The ceremony comprised an ancient and colourful ritual in a white-walled royal palace in the capital, Thimphu. |
| THE KING'S ANCIENT TITLES Supreme Protector Of The PeopleThe Great Elected OneThe Upholder Of The Law Profile: King Wangchuck | THE KING'S ANCIENT TITLES Supreme Protector Of The PeopleThe Great Elected OneThe Upholder Of The Law Profile: King Wangchuck |
| Thousands of foreign dignitaries, including India's President, Pratibha Patil, governing Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and Bollywood stars were present. | Thousands of foreign dignitaries, including India's President, Pratibha Patil, governing Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi and Bollywood stars were present. |
| The guests were surrounded by lines of local people dressed in their national costumes. | The guests were surrounded by lines of local people dressed in their national costumes. |
| The crown was bestowed on the new king by his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 52, who stepped down in 2006 as part of his five-year plan to gradually introduce democracy to Bhutan's 600,000 citizens. | The crown was bestowed on the new king by his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 52, who stepped down in 2006 as part of his five-year plan to gradually introduce democracy to Bhutan's 600,000 citizens. |
| "I am happy, my friends are happy and in general as a nation we are happy," Sonam Phuntsho, a civil servant, told the AFP news agency. | |
| "He [the new king] is reaching out to the people. He is very smart and decent man," he said. | "He [the new king] is reaching out to the people. He is very smart and decent man," he said. |
| Prime Minister Lyonchhen said earlier the coronation would further consolidate the country's "sovereign independence and security and promote further unity, harmony, and peace in the kingdom". | Prime Minister Lyonchhen said earlier the coronation would further consolidate the country's "sovereign independence and security and promote further unity, harmony, and peace in the kingdom". |
| But correspondents say that while 2008 will be remembered as the year democracy was introduced to Bhutan, revolutionary change is not on the agenda. | But correspondents say that while 2008 will be remembered as the year democracy was introduced to Bhutan, revolutionary change is not on the agenda. |
| The transition to democracy has been deliberately designed to be slow and steady and the monarchy will continue to play a central role in Bhutanese life. | The transition to democracy has been deliberately designed to be slow and steady and the monarchy will continue to play a central role in Bhutanese life. |
| Both the new government and the opposition say they are committed to the royal philosophy of Gross National Happiness - or GNH - which aims to strike a better balance between the spiritual and the material. | Both the new government and the opposition say they are committed to the royal philosophy of Gross National Happiness - or GNH - which aims to strike a better balance between the spiritual and the material. |