Sangay Choden
Queen Mother Sangay Choden (born May 11, 1963) is one of the four wives and queens of Bhutanese king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who ruled in Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. She is the Queen Mother (Gyalyum Kude, literally meaning "Queen Mother") of Bhutan.
| Sangay Choden | |||||
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| Queen mother of Bhutan | |||||
| Tenure | 9 December 2006 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Kesang Choden | ||||
| Co-queen mothers | Dorji Wangmo Tshering Pem Tshering Yangdon | ||||
| Born | 11 May 1963 Nobgang, Punakha, Bhutan | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Khamsum Singye Wangchuck Euphelma Choden Wangchuck | ||||
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| House | Wangchuck (by marriage) | ||||
| Father | Dasho Yab Ugyen Dorji | ||||
| Mother | Yum Thuiji Zam | ||||
| Religion | Buddhism | ||||
| Bhutanese royal family |
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Biography
Her father, Yab Dasho Ugyen Dorji (1925–2019), was the Founder and Proprietor of Ugyen Academy (03/04/2002).[1] Her mother is Yum Thuiji Zam (b. 1932).
She was educated at St. Joseph's Convent, Kalimpong, and St. Helen's School, Kurseong, India.
Her three brothers are:[2]
- Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup (b. 1953), former Prime Minister of Bhutan.
- Dasho Ugyen Tsechup (b. 1964).
- Dasho Topgay (b. 1966).
Her five sisters are (three of them are the other Queen Mothers):[3]
- Ashi Beda (b. 1951).
- HM Ashi Dorji Wangmo (b. 1955).
- HM Ashi Tshering Pem (b. 1957).
- HM Ashi Tshering Yangdon (b. 1959), mother of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
- Ashi Sonam Choden (b. 1969).
She was appointed the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador in Bhutan in 1999.[4]
I support the all around development of our younger generations, in whose hands lie the future of our country.
Sangay Choden is particularly interested in promoting the arts in Bhutan and advocating the country's rich cultural heritage. She is the patron of the Bhutan Textile Museum in Thimphu which she helped establish in 2001.[5]
Her Majesty also established the Tara Lhadron Zhingkham Lhakhang, a temple dedicated to the 21 Taras located in the historically and spiritually significant temple grounds of Parigzampa Astrology School in Dechencholing, Thimphu.[6]
On 1 July 2011 she visited the Alhambra with her daughter, Princess Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck.[7]
Children
She had, with the former king, the following children:
| Name | Birth | Marriage | Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck (Photo) | 6 October 1985 | |||
| Princess Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck (Photo) | 6 June 1993 | 29 October 2020 | Dasho Thinlay Norbu | |
Patronages
- Royal Patron of the Bhutan Textile Museum.[8]
- Chairman of the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan (RTAB).[9]
- Founder and President of RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women) since 2004.[10]
Titles, styles, and honours
| Styles of Queen Mother Sangay Choden | |
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| Reference style | Her Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Gyalyum Kude |
Titles and styles
- 11 May 1963 – 1979: Ashi Sangay Choden
- 1979 – 9 December 2006: Her Majesty Queen Sangay Choden, The Queen of Bhutan
- 9 December 2006 – present: Her Majesty Queen Mother Sangay Choden, The Queen Mother of Bhutan
Honours
International honours:
UNFPA Population award 2020 (in the individual category): for her work on sexual health and ending gender violence
Bhutan :
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Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Jigme Singye (02/06/1999).
King Jigme Khesar Investiture Medal (06/11/2008).
60th Birthday Badge Medal of King Jigme Singye (11/11/2015).
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Sangay Choden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
- House of Wangchuck
- Line of succession to the Bhutanese throne
References
- Ugyen Academy
- Of Rainbows and Clouds: The Life of Yab Ugyen Dorji As Told to His Daughter
- Of Rainbows and Clouds: The Life of Yab Ugyen Dorji As Told to His Daughter
- "United Nations Population Fund". UNFPA.
- "Textile Museum in Thimphu - Preserving and promoting a national heritage". KUENSEL News Paper, Thimpu. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- Diplomat Magazine
- La Reina Madre de Bután en España
- Fabric of Life - Textile Arts in Bhutan: Culture, Tradition and Transformation. Written by Karin Altmann
- Drukasia
- "President of RENEW".
External links
Sangay Choden Born: 11 May 1963 | ||
| Bhutanese royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kesang Choden |
Queen consort of Bhutan 1979–2006 |
Succeeded by Jetsun Pema |
| Preceded by Kesang Choden |
Queen Mother of Bhutan 2006–present |
Incumbent |