On the Third Day “Royal Wedding Celebrations in Thimphu” 15/10/11

After a late night & many miles/Kms walked the Royal Couple have an early start to the final official day of celebrations.  A day for the public to see & for the lucky a chance to meet a speak to them. Before the public celebrations there is a ceremony to attend in the the Trashi Choe Dzong. No VIP’s, or public in attendance just close family & a few personal friends. Everyone of us in the media group felt very privileged to be witness to this historical event.

The 4th King escourts Rahul Gandhi for the early morning ceremony at Trashi Choe Dzong.

The 4th King enjoying a moment with a young Royal.

5th King of Bhutan arrives at Trashi Choe Dzong.

Holy wine.

Honouring the flag.

The Queen honours the flag.

Buddha Thondrol.

Royal Dancers.

The public have been gathering since 3am for this days celebrations. I know this as I could hear them from my hotel room. A wonderful opportunity for the general public to help celebrate this wonderful occasion. Taking place at the Changlimithang Stadium, the Royal couple spend the day meeting as many people as possible.

Waiting for the king.

Royal dancers.

Waiting for the Royal Couple.

Holy wine.

The King accepts a sip of the holy wine.

Blessing the flag.

Blessing the flag

The kiss.

The new "Thondrol of Guru Rimpoche".

The Mighty Thondrol

Tibetan Dance Troop.

A section of the crowd.

Dance troops.

Black Hat Dancers.

Black Hat Dance.

The Royal Walkabout.

The Royal Walkabout.

The Royal Walkabout.

The Royal Walkabout.

“On the second day” 14/10/2011 “Bhutan Royal Wedding”

The day after the wedding in Punakha the royal couple make their way back to the capital city of Thimphu. It’s a long journey as the King & Queen stop to meet the many groups of admiring citizens of this peaceful land. School children line the main street through Thimphu in great expectation with gifts of flowers & homemade cards for their King & new Queen. By 11am the children are sitting patiently along the route. The media are given the time of a 2pm arrival of the newlyweds, but advised to be at the designated point by 1pm. This is the story of a long wait for a couple who must have walked most of the way from Punakha.

Reading about the previous days wedding in the paper, Thimphu Market.

School Children line the main street through Thimphu.

School girls waiting patiently.

Children wave flags all afternoon waiting for their King & Queen.

A teacher hands out flags to her class.

Teaching the young.

Flowers for the Queen.

Time to play the clapping game while they wait.

The Bhutanese Tibetan community come out to pay their respect & congratulate the happy couple.

Dressed for the Royal couple.

An old man with a gift for the King & Queen.

A shy young girl waits with her flag.

All afternoon we keep getting reports that the King & Queen are very close & will soon be here. The light falls & night arrives & I am faced with a choice. Go back to the hotel to collect my flash & risk missing the arrival of the King & Queen or push the ISO up. I stay & constantly push the ISO speed up until it gets to 5000. Eventually something starts to happen & security is suddenly increased followed about 15 minutes later by the King & his Queen.

The crowds grow ever stronger as night falls over the capital.

Still waiting.

A wedding gift from a Llama.

Security steps up before the royal couples arrival.

The King greets the crowd after his epic walk with his beautiful Queen by his side.

Presenting a gift to the King.

A greeting & a thank you from the the King as he continues his long walk with his Queen.