Norodom Buppha Devi

Cambodian princess
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroCambodian princess
PlacesCambodia
isDancer
Work fieldDancing
Gender
Female
Religion:Theravada
Birth8 January 1943, Phnom Penh
Age82 years
Family
Mother:Phat Kanhol
Father:Norodom Sihanouk
Siblings:Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Ranariddh Norodom Chakrapong Norodom Narindrapong Norodom Yuvaneath
The details

Biography

Norodom Buppha Devi (IPA: [n̪ɔroːt̪ˈɗɑm ɓupˈpʰaː~ɓopʰaː t̪eːʋiː]; official title Her Royal Highness Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Ream Norodom Buppha Devi) is a princess of Cambodia born on 8 January 1942, in Phnom Penh. She is the daughter of Norodom Sihanouk and the late Neak Moneang Phat Kanthol, the elder sister of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and a half-sibling of current King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni.

Name

Buppha Devi comes from Pali words puppha (បុប្ផា) meaning flower and devi (ទេវី) meaning goddess. The name is also romanised as 'Bopha Devi or 'Bophadevi.'

Biography

Buppha Devi finished her high school education at Lycée Preah Norodom in Phnom Penh. As a young princess, her grandmother, Queen Sisowath Kossamak, chose her to become a dancer early in her life. At the age of 15, she became the premiere dancer of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. At the age of 18, she was granted the title of prima ballerina.

She then toured the world as the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet with Queen Kossamak, performing in public. In the past the ballet had been performed only before royalty to commemorate their dynastic ancestors and to honour the gods.

Buppha Devi married in 1959 at the age of fifteen, and has five children:

  • Princess Sisowath Moni Kossoma (born 1960)
  • Princess Sisowath Kalyan Tevi (b. 1961)
  • Keo Chinsita Forsinetti (b. 1965)
  • Prince Sisowath Chivannariddh (b. 1968)
  • Prince Sisowath Veakchiravuddh (b. 1973)

Buppha Devi formerly served as the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia.

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