Category Archives: Bhutan Royal Family

Bhutan Royal Family, The Royal Family of Bhutan

The Royal Family of Bhutan Attends the Second Edition of the Rhododendron Festival in Eastern Highlands of the Kingdom of Bhutan

  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of H.M. King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck of Bhutan/Royal Office for Media (ROM), Bhutan

Their Majesties King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan, accompanied by their children, His Royal Highness Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan, His Royal Highness Prince Ugyen Wangchuck of Bhutan, and Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Yangden Wangchuck of Bhutan, presided over the opening of the second edition of the Rhododendron Festival at Sheytemi in the eastern highlands of Merak in the district of Tashigang.

Organized by Trashigang Dzongkhag administration and the Department of Tourism, the week-long Rhododendron Festival highlights the Kingdom of Bhutan’s natural environment and cultural heritage. Held during the spring flowering season, the festival showcases the region’s rhododendron forests, which are among the most diverse in the Himalayas.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is home to dozens of rhododendron species, many of which are concentrated in the high-altitude areas of Merak and neighbouring Sakteng. Both locations lie within the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area known for its biodiversity.

The festival also serves as a platform for the traditions of the Brokpa community, a highland population with a distinct cultural identity. 

Performances, local crafts, and regional food are presented alongside the festival’s environmental focus.

Bhutan Royal Family

Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan Participates in the Kurukulle Center Blessing Ritual in Gelephu Mindfulness City

  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan
  • Photos courtesy of the Royal Office for Media of Bhutan/H.M. Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan

On Friday, Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan attended a Salhang Tendrel blessing ritual for the future Kurukulle Center in Gelephu Mindfulness City.

Her Majesty was accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Deki Yangzom Wangchuck of Bhutan, Her Royal Highness Princess Dechen Wangmo Wangchuck of Bhutan, and Ashi Yeatso Lhamo.

The ritual marked an important step in the establishment of the Kurukulle Center, a Buddhist spiritual complex that will form part of the sacred and cultural landscape of Gelephu Mindfulness City.

The center will be presided over by Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche and will be built around a five-story temple dedicated to Jetsunma Kurukulle, a deity in Vajrayana Buddhism.

Plans for the complex indicate that the campus will be designed as a living mandala, incorporating traditional Buddhist symbolism into its layout. The center will include meditation halls, teaching pavilions, and traditional mani walls.

The Kurukulle Center is among several sacred landmarks planned within Gelephu Mindfulness City, a major initiative that seeks to combine Bhutan’s spiritual traditions with sustainable urban development and cultural preservation.