Coronation of His Majesty the King
Sunday, November 1, 2026
The Anniversary of the Coronation of His Majesty the King every 1 November is a national public holiday in the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan. In 2026, Coronation of His Majesty the King falls on Sunday 1 November. The holiday will be on Monday 1 November in 2027. The current monarch of Bhutan, King Jigme Khesar, became king upon the abdication of his father in December of 2006. However, he was not formally and publicly crowned as the new king until 1 November, 2008. The year 2008 also marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the current dynasty of Bhutanese kings. That first coronation was extremely ritualistic and festive. There were literally thousands of high-ranking government officials in attendance, many of them from foreign lands. There were colourful banners and painted signs cluttering the streets, and floral decorations were set up at points in the capital city. Since his instalment as king, Khesar has led in efforts to democratise Bhutan and in land reform. He is very popular and is affectionately referred to as “The People’s King”.
History
The year 2008 also marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the current dynasty of Bhutanese kings. That first coronation was extremely ritualistic and festive. Since his instalment as king, Khesar has led in efforts to democratise Bhutan and in land reform
How It's Celebrated
The Anniversary of the Coronation of His Majesty the King every 1 November is a national public holiday in the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan. The holiday will be on Monday 1 November in 2027. However, he was not formally and publicly crowned as the new king until 1 November, 2008. That first coronation