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15 things you may not know about Asian Royalty
- From the kings of Cambodia and Thailand to the Japanese emperor and the sultans of Malaysia and Brunei, here is everything you need to know about Asia's monarchies.
1. Does Malaysia have a king?
Since independence, the country’s monarchs have mainly performed ceremonial functions, but King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad has emerged as a major political force amid recent turmoil. Learn more
2. Who is the queen of Thailand?
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is married to Queen Suthida, but has a consort named Sineenat. Learn more
3. How do you marry a Malaysian prince?
A long line of Malaysian royals have married non-Malays, sometimes controversially. Learn more
4. Is Cambodia's royal family linked to China?
Why Cambodia’s royals need close China ties that are separate from Hun Sen’s government. Learn more
5. Does India have a royal family?
Since India abolished the monarchy in 1971, its royal families have had to grapple with the changing role of nobility in the modern world, many taking down-to-earth jobs as painters, hoteliers and photographers. Learn more
6. How influential is Malaysia's King?
The monarch has become increasingly influential in politics. Learn more
7. Have any Asian royals 'done a Megxit'?
In Japan, there is a tradition of royals giving up their titles when they marry commoners. Learn more
8. Who pays for the Thai monarchy?
The Crown Property Bureau, a quasi-governmental institution, manages the wealth of King Vajiralongkorn. Learn more
9. Where does Thailand’s king call home?
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has a home in the Bavarian Alps. Learn more
10. What happened to Thailand's Queen Suthida?
In early 2021, Queen Suthida's month-long absence from public view raised anxieties among some diehard royalist supporters. Learn more
11. Who is the emperor of Japan?
After more than 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne, Emperor Akihito abdicated on April 30, 2019, making way for his son, Naruhito. Learn more
12. Which Asian countries are monarchies?
Monarchic rule was once the most common form of government across much of Asia, but today only six countries in East and Southeast Asia have monarchic rule. Learn more
13. "Who is Princess Norodom Pongsoriya?
The Gen Z Cambodian royal is popular in both Cambodia and China for her beauty and her brains. Learn more
14. Are Asia's royal families popular?
A new breed of social media-savvy royal is breathing new life into Asia's long love affair with its royal families. Learn more
15. Who is Thailand's king?
King Maha Vajiralongkorn was crowned on May 4, 2019, following the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016. Learn more
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