Royal Baby Alert! Bhutan's King and Queen Welcome Their Second Child

Stephanie Petit
·3 min read

There’s a new royal baby in the world.

Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun welcomed their second child, a baby boy, on Thursday — meaning the Dragon Prince, 4-year-old Prince Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel, is officially a big brother.

“Her Majesty and the royal baby are in good health, and His Royal Highness The Gyalsey was delighted to meet his younger brother,” according to a statement from the family. “Their Majesties express their gratitude to the medical team, the Zhung Dratshang and to everyone for their well-wishes and prayers.”

Although they did not share a photo of their new arrival, they marked the special occasion with a sweet family photo from February, in which Queen Jetsun rests her arms beneath her baby bump. Meanwhile, the little prince gives his dad a big hug.

RELATED: Bhutan’s Dragon Prince Is Growing Up! See the Cute New Photo of Prince Jigme

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❀ Announcement ❀ We are honoured to announce the birth of the second Royal Child of Their Majesties The King and Queen, a Prince, on the 19th of March 2020, corresponding with the 25th day of the 1st month of the Male Iron Rat year, in Lingkana Palace, Thimphu. Her Majesty and the royal baby are in good health, and His Royal Highness The Gyalsey was delighted to meet his younger brother. Their Majesties express their gratitude to the medical team, the Zhung Dratshang and to everyone for their well-wishes and prayers. While this remains a very happy occasion for the Royal family and the nation and people of Bhutan, Their Majesties wish to remind all Bhutanese to be mindful, responsible and supportive to each other in the wake of the COVID-19 virus. Their Majesties have everyone whose lives have been affected by this global pandemic in their thoughts and prayers. (Royal photograph taken in February 2020) #RoyalBaby #Bhutan #Prince

A post shared by Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema (@queenjetsunpema) on Mar 19, 2020 at 1:38am PDT

The royal family acknowledged that their joyful news comes during a difficult time amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

“While this remains a very happy occasion for the Royal family and the nation and people of Bhutan, Their Majesties wish to remind all Bhutanese to be mindful, responsible and supportive to each other in the wake of the COVID-19 virus,” they said. “Their Majesties have everyone whose lives have been affected by this global pandemic in their thoughts and prayers.”

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112th National Day: His Majesty The King announced that Their Majesties are expecting a second Royal Child. #HisMajesty #KingJigmeKhesar #KingofBhutan #HerMajesty #QueenJetsunPema #QueenofBhutan #Gyalsey #JigmeNamgyel #Bhutan #RoyalBaby #happiness

A post shared by Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema (@queenjetsunpema) on Dec 17, 2019 at 7:22pm PST

RELATED: Bhutan’s Adorable Dragon Prince Celebrates His Fourth Birthday — See the New Photos!

The new prince is second in the line of succession to the Bhutan throne. If the child had been a girl, however, she could be displaced by a future younger brother. (The British royals followed similar rules until the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act, which made birth order, not gender, the determining factor for the next heir to the throne. It made its first impact when Prince Louis was born in 2018, as Princess Charlotte did not lose her place as fourth in line to the throne.)

Paula Bronstein /Getty King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun

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The baby’s name has yet to be revealed. The name of the Dragon Prince — who has wooed the world with his cheeky smile and perfectly coiffed hair — was revealed a few months after his birth. As is custom in Bhutan, his name was not revealed until after a special Buddhist naming ceremony.