Queen Ratna of Nepal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ratna |
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Queen Ratna in 1967
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| Queen consort of Nepal | |||||
| Tenure | 13 March 1955 – 31 January 1972 | ||||
| Coronation | 2 May 1956 | ||||
| Born | 19 August 1928 Hari Bhawan, Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal |
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| House | Rana dynasty (by birth) Shah dynasty (by marriage) |
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| Father | Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana | ||||
| Mother | Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi | ||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||
Queen Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (born 19 August 1928) is an important member of the former royal family of Nepal. She was the Queen of Nepal from 1955 to 1972. After her husband's death, she became the Queen Dowager until 2008. In 2008, the royal family lost all their titles and special rights. Queen Ratna was the second wife of King Mahendra (1920–1972). She comes from the noble Rana family. Her parents were Field Marshal Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi.
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Life Story of Queen Ratna
Queen Ratna's older sister, Crown Princess Indra, married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940. Sadly, Princess Indra passed away in 1950. Two years later, in 1952, Ratna married Mahendra. Mahendra already had three sons and three daughters from his first marriage with Indra.
When King Mahendra's father, King Tribhuvan, died in 1955, Mahendra became king. This made Ratna the Queen consort. King Mahendra and Queen Ratna did not have any children together.
In 1972, King Mahendra had a serious heart attack while hunting. He passed away in Chitwan National Park. His oldest son, Crown Prince Birendra, then became the new king.
Surviving a Tragic Event
On the evening of June 1, 2001, a very sad event happened at the royal palace. This event is known as the Nepalese royal massacre. Queen Ratna was with her sister-in-law, Princess Helen Shah, in another room. Because of this, they survived the tragedy.
The two women heard gunshots but did not think they were serious at first. A few minutes later, Prince Paras came and told them what had happened. He explained that Crown Prince Dipendra had shot many members of the royal family, including the King. Dipendra was declared King while he was still in a coma. It is said that Queen Ratna chose not to see his unconscious body.
Changes to the Monarchy
The monarchy in Nepal was ended in 2008. This happened after the Constituent Assembly election. All members of the royal family had to leave the Narayanhiti Palace. However, Queen Ratna was allowed to stay. King Gyanendra made arrangements for his step-mother and aunt to live in Mahendra Manzil. This palace is located within the Narayanhity Palace Museum complex.
The new government, led by the Maoist party, took control of many palaces. These palaces had been built by her husband, King Mahendra, as gifts for her.
Electricity Issues and Public Support
On August 24, 2016, the Nepal Electricity Authority cut off the power to Mahendra Manzil. They said there was a large unpaid electricity bill from the past eight years. This bill was about 3.7 million Nepalese Rupees.
News reports said that Queen Ratna asked her step-son and nephew, former King Gyanendra, not to argue with the government about the bill. She believed it would reduce their family's dignity. Instead, she asked him to bring fuel for the diesel generators. These generators were used as a backup power source.
This situation caused a big public reaction. People gathered at Ratna Park, a public park named after the queen. They protested and burned an effigy of the Energy Minister, Janardan Sharma. Some media outlets suggested that the minister acted out of revenge. They claimed he had ignored bills from a hospital connected to him that owed even more money. Because of the public outcry, the government had to restore power to Mahendra Manzil Palace after 20 hours.
Recent Health Updates
On March 5, 2019, Queen Ratna was admitted to Norvic Hospital. She had been suffering from a cough and flu for a week. A special team of five doctors looked after her. Her son, Gyanendra, and daughter-in-law, Queen Komal, visited her and brought homemade food. More recently, on September 1, 2022, she had eye surgery at Sudrishti Eye Clinic.
Places and Honors Named After Queen Ratna
Many places, buildings, and honors were created to show respect for Queen Ratna. After the parliament was restored in 2006 and the monarchy ended in 2008, some monuments named after her were renamed. For example, Ratna Park was renamed Shankhadhar Sakhwa Park. However, many people still commonly call it Ratna Park.
- Ratna Park
- Ratna Highway
- Queen of Nepal: a Russian folk song
- Tsaritsa Nepala (Queen of Nepal): a Russian song about Nepal and the queen
- Ratna Statue in Ratna Park
- Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus
Awards and Recognitions
Queen Ratna has received many awards and honors from Nepal and other countries.
Awards from Nepal
Nepal Decoration of Honour (December 25, 1966).
Order of the Benevolent Ruler, 1st class (1964).
Tribhuvan Order of the Footprint of Democracy, 1st class (May 2, 1956).
Order of the Footprint of Nepal, 1st class (December 16, 1962).
Order of the Rama Mantra Power, 1st class.- Ati Suvikhyata Sewalankar (Renowned Service Medal).
- Order of the Benevolent Ruler, 1960.
King Mahendra Investiture Medal (May 2, 1956).
King Birendra Investiture Medal (February 24, 1975).
Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Birendra (January 31, 1997).
King Gyanendra Investiture Medal (June 4, 2001).
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Awards from Other Countries
- Japan:
Paulwonia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown
- Germany:
Grand Cross Special Issue of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Netherlands:
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (April 25, 1967).
- 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).
- Pahlavi dynasty:
Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (October 14, 1971).
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See Also
- Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Campus
- Ratna Park
