Bhutan Royal Couple's first public kiss

Bhutan's popular King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck tied the knot with India-educated commoner Jetsun Pema at a fairy tale wedding, an occasion considered as a watershed event in the history of the tiny nation.

  • The King gave a short speech and the crowd cheered. He then asked his people if they saw his bride and people replied in the affirmative.
    The King gave a short speech and the crowd cheered. He then asked his people if they saw his bride and people replied in the affirmative.
  • Advertisement
  • "I must kiss your queen," King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said before kissing his bride. <br><br>
Coming Up: Rahul Gandhi meets Bhutan's King...
    "I must kiss your queen," King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said before kissing his bride.

    Coming Up: Rahul Gandhi meets Bhutan's King...
  • Rahul Gandhi (C) and Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (L) with the former Bhutan King Jigme Sinagye Wangchuk (R) and his queens.
    Rahul Gandhi (C) and Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (L) with the former Bhutan King Jigme Sinagye Wangchuk (R) and his queens.
  • Rahul Gandhi with King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck during Guard of Honour ceremony at Secretariat in Thimpu. <br><br>
Coming up: Rahul Gandhi meets Bhutan's King...
    Rahul Gandhi with King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck during Guard of Honour ceremony at Secretariat in Thimpu.

    Coming up: Rahul Gandhi meets Bhutan's King...
  • Advertisement
  • Rahul Gandhi greets King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. <br><br> Two days after their fairy tale wedding, King Jigme Khesar Nagyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema were today accorded a ceremonial reception by the Royal Bhutan Army. Rahul Gandhi was the only guest at the event.
    Rahul Gandhi greets King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

    Two days after their fairy tale wedding, King Jigme Khesar Nagyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema were today accorded a ceremonial reception by the Royal Bhutan Army. Rahul Gandhi was the only guest at the event.
  • Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, a personal friend of the newly married Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, arrived in Bhutan. <br><br> Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema,  tied the knot at a fairy tale wedding on Thursday (October 13).
    Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, a personal friend of the newly married Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, arrived in Bhutan.

    Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema, tied the knot at a fairy tale wedding on Thursday (October 13).
  • Rahul Gandhi is visiting as a personal friend of the monarch.
    Rahul Gandhi is visiting as a personal friend of the monarch.
  • Advertisement
  • The Gandhi family has had a special kinship with the Bhutan Royal family since the time of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and it continues even now. <br><br>
Coming Up: Latest pics: Bhutan's stunning Royal couple...
    The Gandhi family has had a special kinship with the Bhutan Royal family since the time of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and it continues even now.

    Coming Up: Latest pics: Bhutan's stunning Royal couple...
  • Bhutan's newly-married king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and his 21-year-old bride greeted huge crowds of well-wishers on Friday (October 14) as they made their way on foot back to the capital along windy Himalayan roads.
    Bhutan's newly-married king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and his 21-year-old bride greeted huge crowds of well-wishers on Friday (October 14) as they made their way on foot back to the capital along windy Himalayan roads.
  • Bhutan's newly-married king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk greets scores of people. <br><br> Tens of thousands of Bhutanese people lined up the streets to greet their king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk as he practically walked from the former capital Punakha to Thimphu along with his wife Jetsun Pema on Friday (October 14). <br><br>
The Royal couple took nearly 12 hours to cover the 70 km distance from Punakha to Thimphu as well wishers lined the entire route and "People's King" threw himself into the crowds to personally greet them.
    Bhutan's newly-married king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk greets scores of people.

    Tens of thousands of Bhutanese people lined up the streets to greet their king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk as he practically walked from the former capital Punakha to Thimphu along with his wife Jetsun Pema on Friday (October 14).

    The Royal couple took nearly 12 hours to cover the 70 km distance from Punakha to Thimphu as well wishers lined the entire route and "People's King" threw himself into the crowds to personally greet them.
  • Advertisement
  • The Royal couple sign autographs. <br><br> The hugely popular 31-year-old Oxford educated King married 21-year-old daughter of an airline pilot, in an elaborate ceremony replete with Buddhist mysticism at a monastic fortress in Punakha on Thursday (October 13).
    The Royal couple sign autographs.

    The hugely popular 31-year-old Oxford educated King married 21-year-old daughter of an airline pilot, in an elaborate ceremony replete with Buddhist mysticism at a monastic fortress in Punakha on Thursday (October 13).
  • In Bhutan's capital Thimphu, thousands of people, including school children, lined up the streets as they eagerly awaited to see their king accompanied by his queen. <br><br>
Coming up: The Royal wedding...
    In Bhutan's capital Thimphu, thousands of people, including school children, lined up the streets as they eagerly awaited to see their king accompanied by his queen.

    Coming up: The Royal wedding...
  • The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema, pose for the media after their marriage ceremony at the Dzong Monastery in Punakha, Bhutan on October 13, 2011.
    The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema, pose for the media after their marriage ceremony at the Dzong Monastery in Punakha, Bhutan on October 13, 2011.
  • Pema, who wore a yellow jacket and a skirt according to tradition, was proclaimed the 'Queen of the Kingdom of Bhutan' as the King bestowed the crown on her after a series of ceremonies.
    Pema, who wore a yellow jacket and a skirt according to tradition, was proclaimed the 'Queen of the Kingdom of Bhutan' as the King bestowed the crown on her after a series of ceremonies.
  • The Royal Couple pose for the media.
    The Royal Couple pose for the media.
  • The wedding was attended by 300 guests, including the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan K Varma, the West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan and members of the Royal Family.
    The wedding was attended by 300 guests, including the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan K Varma, the West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan and members of the Royal Family.
  • The newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema and the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck greet the crowd after their marriage ceremony.
    The newly-crowned Queen of Bhutan Jetsun Pema and the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck greet the crowd after their marriage ceremony.
  • Bhutan's popular King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck tied the knot with India-educated commoner Jetsun Pema at a fairy tale wedding today (October 13), an occasion considered as a watershed event in the history of the tiny nation.
    Bhutan's popular King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck tied the knot with India-educated commoner Jetsun Pema at a fairy tale wedding today (October 13), an occasion considered as a watershed event in the history of the tiny nation.
  • The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and future Queen Jetsun Pema,  stand together during their marriage ceremony in the main courtyard of the 17th-century fortified monastery or <i>dzong</i> in Punakha.
    The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and future Queen Jetsun Pema, stand together during their marriage ceremony in the main courtyard of the 17th-century fortified monastery or dzong in Punakha.
  • The wedding in progress.
    The wedding in progress.
  • The wedding rituals in progress.
    The wedding rituals in progress.
  • Bhutan, the Dragon Kingdom, is all decked up for the Royal wedding, with huge cut-outs of 31-year-old King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his bride, Jetsun Pema, dangling across the picturesque capital city of Thimphu.
    Bhutan, the Dragon Kingdom, is all decked up for the Royal wedding, with huge cut-outs of 31-year-old King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his bride, Jetsun Pema, dangling across the picturesque capital city of Thimphu.
  • Pictures of the Oxford-educated Wangchuck and his elegant bride Pema, a commoner who is 10 years younger than him, can be spotted anywhere in Thimphu, where houses have been beautifully decorated with flowers.
    Pictures of the Oxford-educated Wangchuck and his elegant bride Pema, a commoner who is 10 years younger than him, can be spotted anywhere in Thimphu, where houses have been beautifully decorated with flowers.
  • Bride Jetsun Pema at the palace.<br><br>The The newly-wed King and the Queen will appear before the people on Saturday, two days after their wedding.  Over 20 special tents stacked with cushions and chairs were erected at the nearly 100-acre venue where the wedding took place.
    Bride Jetsun Pema at the palace.

    The The newly-wed King and the Queen will appear before the people on Saturday, two days after their wedding. Over 20 special tents stacked with cushions and chairs were erected at the nearly 100-acre venue where the wedding took place.
  • As part of the celebrations, the Bhutan Postal Corporation Limited (BPCL) has launched 60,000 stamps of the Royal couple to commemorate the Royal wedding. The six sets of stamps include two sets of souvenir sheets, two sets of holograms, and one set of gold stamps.
    As part of the celebrations, the Bhutan Postal Corporation Limited (BPCL) has launched 60,000 stamps of the Royal couple to commemorate the Royal wedding. The six sets of stamps include two sets of souvenir sheets, two sets of holograms, and one set of gold stamps.
  • Bride Jetsun Pema offers prayers during the wedding ceremony.
    Bride Jetsun Pema offers prayers during the wedding ceremony.
  • King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and future Queen Jetsun Pema stand together during their marriage ceremony.
    King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and future Queen Jetsun Pema stand together during their marriage ceremony.
  • The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrives with Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley, for the wedding ceremony.
    The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrives with Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley, for the wedding ceremony.
  • King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrives with Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley, for the wedding ceremony.
    King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrives with Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley, for the wedding ceremony.