Queen Ratna of Nepal

Full name
	Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah

Queen Ratna
Queen Ratna
	Queen Ratna in 1967
Queen consort of Nepal
Reign	13 March 1955 – 31 January 1972
Coronation	2 May 1956
Predecessor	Kanti
Successor	Aishwarya
Born	19 August 1928; Hari Bhawan, Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal
Spouse	Mahendra of Nepal
Full name
	Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah
House	Rana dynasty (by birth); Shah dynasty (by marriage)
Father	Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana
Mother	Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi
Religion	Hinduism

Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (born 19 August 1928) was Queen consort of Nepal from 1955 to 1972 and Queen Mother from 1972 to 2008 when the royal family were stripped of all titles and privileges. She is the second wife of King Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Ratna belongs to the aristocratic Rana family and is the daughter of General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife, Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi.

Queen Ratna in Netherlands on 25 April 1967 with Prince Bernhard.

Life

Ratna's older sister Indra had married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940 but died in 1950. Two years later, Ratna married Mahendra.^[1] There were no children by this marriage as the new queen was sterilised to avoid succession problems;^[2] Mahendra already had three sons and three daughters with Indra. She became Queen Consort after Mahendra's father King Tribhuvan died in 1955.

In 1972, Mahendra suffered a fatal heart attack while hunting in Chitwan National Park. His oldest son, Prince Birendra took over^[3] as Ratna became Queen Mother. Ratna means "Jewel" or "Gem".^[4]

On the evening of June 1, 2001- when the Nepalese royal massacre took place - the Queen Mother was sitting with her sister-in-law Princess Helen Shah in the anteroom, and thus survived. The two women heard the gunshots but did not take them seriously. A few minutes later, Prince Paras came and told them that the Crown Prince Dipendra had shot everybody, including the King.^[5]

The Nepalese monarchy was abolished in 2008 after the Constituent Assembly election.^[6] All members of the royal family had to leave the Narayanhity Palace, with the exception of the Queen Mother. Ratna was allowed to stay in Mahendra Manzil, her house in the Narayanhity Palace, where she was still living as of 2016.^[7]

King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah in their coronation on 2 May 1956.

Titles and styles

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.
1–4 June 2001: Her Majesty The Queen Grandmother of Nepal.
4 June 2001 – 2008: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Nepal.
2008 – present: Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna of Nepal (titular).

Honours

National honours

Nepal Pratap Bhaskara (25 December 1966).
Order of Ojaswi Rajanya, 1st class (1964).^[8]
Tribhuvan Order of the Footprint of Democracy, 1st class (2 May 1956).
Order of the Footprint of Nepal, 1st class (16 December 1962).
Order of Om Rama Patta, 1st class.^[9]
Ati Suvikhyata Sewalankar [Renowned Service Medal].
King Mahendra Investiture Medal (2 May 1956).
King Birendra Investiture Medal (24 February 1975).
Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Birendra (31 January 1997).
King Gyanendra Investiture Medal (4 June 2001).

Foreign honours

Japan: Paulwonia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown
Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Special Issue
Netherlands: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (25 April 1967).^[10]
Laos : Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol (1970).
Pakistan : Nishan-e-Imtiaz (1970).
Philippines : Golden Heart Medal 1st Class (1971).^[11]
Iran : Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14 October 1971).^[12]

References

↑ Royal Ark
↑ Jane Wilson-Howarth (2012). A Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a journey of love and loss in the Himalayas. Bradt Travel Guides, UK. p. 390. ASIN B009S7FHU4. ISBN 978-1-84162-435-8.
↑ Swift, Dusty (2011-05-10). Illusions of Enlightenment: A Story about a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and His Discovery of the Buddhist Teachings. iUniverse. ISBN 9781450290654.
↑ Baby girl names
↑ Himalaya
↑ "South Asia | Vote to abolish Nepal's monarchy". BBC News. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
↑ Indian Express
↑ Omsa.org
↑ Getty Images
↑ Benelux Royal Archived 28 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
↑ The Royal House of Shah. Royal Ark. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.
↑ Iran. Host to the World Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.. Badraie. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.

External links

Royal Court of Nepal

Preceded by Kanti	Queen Consort of Nepal 1955–1972	Succeeded by Aishwarya

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Royal Ark

[2] Jane Wilson-Howarth (2012). A Glimpse of Eternal Snows: a journey of love and loss in the Himalayas. Bradt Travel Guides, UK. p. 390. ASIN B009S7FHU4. ISBN 978-1-84162-435-8.

[3] Swift, Dusty (2011-05-10). Illusions of Enlightenment: A Story about a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and His Discovery of the Buddhist Teachings. iUniverse. ISBN 9781450290654.

[4] Baby girl names

[5] Himalaya

[6] "South Asia | Vote to abolish Nepal's monarchy". BBC News. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2013.

[7] Indian Express

[8] Omsa.org

[9] Getty Images

[10] Benelux Royal Archived 28 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine.

[royalark1-11] The Royal House of Shah. Royal Ark. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.

[12] Iran. Host to the World Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.. Badraie. Retrieved on 27 April 2015.