Bhutanese Royal Wedding: Sealed With A Kiss

 

Bhutan's beloved King sealed his wedding celebrations by sharing three public kisses with his queen, sending thousands of spectators in a deeply traditional country into instant cheers on Saturday 

 

A spectacular ceremony at Thimphu's main stadium showcasing the best of Bhutanese customs and traditions drew curtains on the public celebrations of the royal wedding that have transfixed the tiny Himalayan Kingdom.              

 

Nearly 30 thousand people crammed into the picturesque stadium to have their first view of the royal couple after the wedding, and several thousand waited outside.              

 

The 31-year-old Oxford educated King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck married 21-year-old Jetsun Pema, daughter of an airline pilot, in an elaborate ceremony replete with Buddhist mysticism at a monastic fortress in Punakha on Thursday.              

 

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in a liberal showering of affection on his newly-wed queen shared three public kisses as his parents watched with amusement.              

 

Wangchuck is not expected to follow the example of his father, who married four sisters from a wealthy family. 

 

Polygamy is allowed in Bhutan, but is rare.