On August 20, 2024, the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Lesotho arrived in Bhutan for a week-long visit. This marks a historic occasion as it is the first time an African royal has visited Bhutan.
Upon their arrival, their Royal Highnesses Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, Princess Dechen Yangzom Wangchuck, and Princess Euphelma Choden Wangchuck, along with government officials, welcomed the Lesotho Royal Family at the Paro International Airport.
Lesotho, like Bhutan, is a small landlocked country, but it is located in Southern Africa. According to the Lesotho government’s website, the country is an alpine region easily accessible from Johannesburg or Durban. Lesotho is divided into ten districts, while Bhutan has twenty.
Lesotho became a monarchy in 1822, making it nearly a hundred years older than Bhutan’s monarchy.
Prior to this historic visit, Bhutan has been involved in Africa through U.N. peacekeeping missions, having sent its first mission in 2022 to the Central African Republic (CAR), in line with the royal vision of His Majesty the King.
Earlier yesterday, His Majesty the King and her Majesty the Queen granted an audience to the Royal Family of Lesotho.