Bhutan's monarchy, known as the Wangchuk dynasty, has a rich history spanning over a century, marked by political astuteness and shrewd moves. The first king, Ugyen Wangchuk, founded the monarchy, uniting Bhutan after internal strife. The second king, Jigme Wangchuk, faced challenges but maintained stability. | Real Royalty

Bhutan's governing party pledged recently to follow the policies of the absolute monarchy it is replacing, after it won a landslide in the country's first parliamentary elections. This remote, beautiful country truly is in the throes of a noble experiment. What makes this experiment unique is that this move towards democracy has been initiated by the ruling monarch himself. | Real Royalty