Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Asian royals who dazzled at King Charles’ coronation, from Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and son, to Bhutan’s ‘Dragon King’ and Queen Jetsun Pema, and monarchs from Japan, Malaysia and Thailand
STORYLynn Farah
- The coronation of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla saw thousands of guests at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6, including Asian royals who dressed fabulously, from Japan to Malaysia
- Thai Queen Suthida was named one of the best foreign-dressed royals by the media, while Bhutan’s ‘Dragon King’ and Queen Jetsun Pema wore traditional outfits to the monumental event
King Charles invited around 2,200 guests to witness his coronation at Westminster Abbey, London, on May 6. The coronation forms part of a religious ceremony that has remained largely unchanged for over 1,000 years.
The king had a weekend of special events planned and invited Asian royalty to take part in the historic event. King Charles actually broke tradition by inviting reigning kings and queens to his coronation – it is usually princes and princess who attend. The addition was welcomed by royal watchers across the world, as they now had the added glamour of Asian royals showing off their splendour on an international stage.
Advertisement
Read on to discover who attended and truly left an impression.
1. Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema
The Bhutanese royal couple wore traditional outfits for their arrival at Westminster Abbey. King Jigme Khesar opted for a Bhutanese gho (a knee length robe tied at the waist) while the stylish Queen Jetsun Pema wore an ethnic kira (an ankle-length dress with rectangular pieces of woven fabric).
Town and Country reports that while they never met Queen Elizabeth, they did attend her funeral in September 2022. They also met then-Prince Charles and Camilla in 2011. Most famously, the king and queen welcomed Prince William and Kate Middleton to Bhutan in 2016.