Bhutan's royal couple welcomes first child
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 06, 2016 4:50 AM
SINGAPORE - Bhutan's royal couple welcomed their first child on Friday (Feb 5), Queen Jetsun Pema announced on her Facebook page today (Feb 6).
"Our happiness knows no bounds, as we announce the Royal Birth of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey on 5th February 2016," the post said.
The post added: "Our Prince, the first Royal Child of His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema, was delivered safely at the Lingkana Palace, Thimphu.
"His Majesty was at Her Majesty's side during the time of the delivery. Following the Royal Birth, His Royal Highness was first presented to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo."
Our happiness knows no bounds, as we announce the Royal Birth of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey on 5th February...
Posted by Jetsun Pema on Friday, February 5, 2016
The royal couple has also expressed appreciation to the Bhutanese medical team for their service.
The post continued: "Their Majesties also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Zhung Dratshang, Rabdeys, and other religious organisations who performed prayer ceremonies in all the Dzongs and Lhakhangs across the country for the wellbeing of His Royal Highness, Their Majesties, and the people of Bhutan."
The royal couple first announced news of the pregnancy last November, four years after they got married in an elaborate fairytale wedding ceremony.
According to AFP, the hugely popular fifth Druk Gyalpo, or Dragon King, studied in Britain and the United States and was officially crowned king in 2008 after his father abdicated two years earlier.
Bhutan is widely known as the "last Shangri-La", and is home to just 750,000 people.
Unlike other countries, Bhutan measures its economic progress by the Gross National Happiness index, a scale they claim has worked for them.
debwong@sph.com.sg