Druk Gyalpo

English

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the 5th and current Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.

Etymology

Borrowed from Dzongkha and Tibetan འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་པོ ('brug rgyal po, literally “Dragon King”).

Pronunciation

• (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this pronunciation?) (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɹʊk ˈɡjɑːl.pəʊ/
• (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this pronunciation?) (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɹʊk ˈɡjɑl.poʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɑːlpəʊ

Noun

Druk Gyalpo (plural Druk Gyalpos)

1. The head of state of Bhutan.
   • 1977 January 1, Leo E. Rose, The Politics of Bhutan, →ISBN, page 184:

     The Druk Gyalpos preferred to deal directly with the district officers rather than through an intermediate-level official. By the time of the second Druk Gyalpo the Pönlop title had come to be used more as an honorary designation of rank for powerful members of the royal family but had no specific administrative functions or powers attached thereto.

   • 2008 January 1, Ramesh Chandra Bisht, International Encyclopaedia of Himalayas (5 Vols.), →ISBN, page 143:

     The Druk Gyalpo—the king—is both head of state and head of government. In the process of coming to power, the first Druk Gyalpo, Ugyen Wangchuck, who reigned from 1907 to 1926, unified the nation, established friendly relations with Britain, and set his dynasty's political agenda.

   • 2008 November 6, Gavin Rabinowitz, “Bhutan celebrates coronation of new king”, in The Independent‎^[1], archived from the original on 2019-09-20:

     At exactly 8:31 a.m., former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 52, placed the Raven Crown on the head of his son, 28-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, giving him the title of Druk Gyalpo, or Dragon King.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Druk Gyalpo.

See also

• Druk Gyaltsuen