Happy Birthday Princess Sonam Yangden! The young royal turned one on 9 September and to mark the special occasion, the King and Queen of Bhutan shared two beautiful new photos.
Photographed at Lingkana Palace, Princess Sonam was captured wearing a beautiful traditional outfit in a magenta hue.
© ROM-KARMAThe first showed Her Royal Highness candidly looking away from the camera, in her own little world. The second captured her beaming as she clapped her hands together.
Despite being nearly a year old, after welcoming their little girl in September last year, the King and Queen didn’t announce Sonam's name until months later, in December 2023. It is tradition for the Bhutan royals to wait to share the name of a child until after the naming ceremony is held.
© ROM-KARMAThe sweet birthday photos come just weeks after the royal family enjoyed some time together in Mongolia while the King and Queen made an official state visit.
The private photos showed King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema with their three children: Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, aged eight; Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, aged four; and their baby girl.
© King Jigme Khesar / Gan Ulzii GonchigIn a series of exciting images shared on the royal couple's official Instagram account, the family of five was seen enjoying quality time together.
The little Princess took centre stage in one family snap, with the Queen holding her wriggling, smiling daughter while her husband and sons held hands.
© King Jigme Khesar / Gan Ulzii GonchigAnother adorable snap showed the King snuggling up with his bundle of joy. The royal family also enjoyed a camel ride across the Gobi Desert.
Their photographer, Gan Ulzii Gonchig, spoke about being chosen as the Bhutan royal family's official photographer on their Mongolia state visit, saying: "I was honoured to have the opportunity to photograph Their Majesties the King and Queen of Bhutan and their family in such a beautiful landscape of Mongolia, and in an intimate setting.
"I was amazed by how down-to-earth and friendly they were, which I had really not expected from the King and Queen of a country. They were very kind and certainly very easy to photograph. Seeing them, I think Bhutan must really be a place of happiness."
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