Ratna of Nepal
Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (born August 19, 1928 in Hari Bhawan, Bagmati, Kathmandu , Nepal) was Queen of Nepal from March 13, 1955 to January 31, 1972 and then Queen Mother until the abolition of the monarchy in 2008 .
She was the second wife of King Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Queen Ratna is the daughter of the late Honorary General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi.
Life
Ratna's older sister Indra married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940. But she died in 1950. Two years later she married the husband of her deceased sister. There were no children in the marriage as she was sterilized to avoid disputes over the succession to the throne. Mahendra already had three sons and three daughters with Indra. She became queen after King Tribhuvan's death in 1955 .
In 1972, her husband Mahendra died of a heart attack while hunting in Chitwan National Park . His eldest son Prince Birendra took over. Queen Ratna became the Queen Mother.
The name Ratna means "jewel" or "precious stone".
On the evening of June 1, 2001, when the Royal Nepalese Massacre took place, the Queen Mother sat in the anteroom with her sister-in-law Princess Helen Shah and survived. The two women heard the gunshots but did not take them seriously. He came a few minutes later to Prince Paras and said that Crown Prince Dipendra had shot everyone, including King Birendra . Afterwards Dipendra was in a coma, but was proclaimed king and she queen grandmother. After four days he died and her younger nephew and stepson became king. She became Queen Mother again.
The monarchy was abolished in 2008. All members of the royal family, with the exception of the Queen Mother, were forced to leave Narayanhity Palace . Former Queen Mother Ratna has lived in Mahendra Manzil, her home in Narayanhity Palace, ever since.
Public duties
- Colonel in the Chief Corps of Artillery (May 2, 1956)
- Nepal Children's Organization (Bal Mandir)
The former Queen Mother was known for her social work for the Nepalese children. After the election to the Constituent Assembly of Nepal in 2008 , the monarchy was abolished.
Title and salutation
- 1928–1952: Lady Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi
- 1952–1955: Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Nepal
- 1955–1972: Her Majesty The Queen of Nepal
- 1972–2001: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Nepal
- June 1 –4. June 2001: Her Majesty The Queen Grandmother of Nepal
- June 4, 2001–2008: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Nepal
- since 2008: Her Majesty Queen Ratna of Nepal (titular)
Honors
National honors
- Nepal Pratap Bhaskara (December 25, 1966)
- Order of Ojaswi Rajanya, 1st Class (1964)
- Tribhuvan Order of the Footprint of Democracy, 1st Class (May 2, 1956)
- Order of the Footprint of Nepal 1st Class (December 16, 1962)
- Order of Om Rama Patta, 1st class
- Ati Suvikhyata Sewalankar [Renowned Service Medal]
- King Mahendra Investiture Medal (May 2, 1956)
- King Birendra Investiture Medal (February 24, 1975)
- Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Birendra (January 31, 1997)
- King Gyanendra Investiture Medal (June 4, 2001)
Foreign honors
-
Japan : Paulwonia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Noble Crown
-
Germany : Special level of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
-
Netherlands : Grand Cross of the Order of the Dutch Lion (April 25, 1967) -
Laos : Ladies Grand Cross of the Order of the Millions of Elephants and the White Parasol (1970) -
Pakistan : Nishan-e-Imtiaz (1970) -
Philippines : Golden Heart Medal 1st Class (1971) -
Iran : Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the Iranian Monarchy (October 14, 1971)
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Individual evidence
- ↑ Royal Ark
- ↑ Jane Wilson-Howarth: A Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a journey of love and loss in the Himalayas . Bradt Travel Guides, UK, 2012, ISBN 978-1-84162-435-8 , p. 390.
- ↑ Dusty Swift: Illusions of Enlightenment: A Story about a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and His Discovery of the Buddhist Teachings ( en ). iUniverse, May 10, 2011, ISBN 9781450290654 .
- ↑ maiden names
- ↑ Himalayas
- ^ Indian Express
- ↑ Nepal 11. Retrieved April 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah ( Memento of the original from October 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Nepal Royal (August 19, 1928). Retrieved on 2015-04-27.
- ↑ South Asia | Vote to abolish Nepal's monarchy , BBC News. December 28, 2007. Accessed January 14, 2013.
- ↑ Omsa.org
- ^ Getty Images
- ↑ The Benelux Royals Message Board: State Visit from Nepal / April 25-27, 1967. September 28, 2015, accessed April 30, 2018 .
- ^ Grand State Banquet. March 5, 2016, accessed April 30, 2018 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Ratna of Nepal |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Shah, Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Nepalese Queen and Queen Mother |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 19, 1928 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hari Bhawan, Bagmati, Kathmandu , Nepal |