Prekshya Shah

Prekshya Shah, GCVO (19 January 1953 – 12 November 2001) was a former princess of Nepal who died in a 9N-AFP Ecuirrel helicopter accident in Rara Lake along with three other passengers.

Princess Prekshya was the younger sister of Queen Aishwarya of Nepal and Queen Komal of Nepal. She was educated at St Mary's School, Jawalakhel; St Helen's Convent, Kurseong; and Tribhuvan University.

Prekshya married her second cousin Prince Dhirendra, a brother of King Birendra at Kathmandu, on 13 February 1972. Prekshya and Dhirendra had three daughters:

• Princess Puja Rajya Laxmi Devi (b. 1977).
• Princess Sitashma Rajya Laxmi Devi (b. 1979).
• Princess Dilasha Rajya Laxmi Devi.

Dhirendra and Prekshya divorced in the 1980s. Dhirendra was killed in the Nepalese royal massacre on 1 June 2001. Princess Prekshya died on 12 November 2001, in a helicopter crash.

• Member of Raj Sabha (1977).
• Co-Chief of the Scout Movement of Nepal (1975).

• Lady Prekshya Rajya Laxmi (1952–1972).
• HRH Princess Prekshya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah of Nepal (1972–2001).

National honours

• Member of the Order of the Gurkha Right Hand, 1st class (1975).
• Member of the Order of the Three Divine Powers, 1st class (23 October 2001).
• King Birendra Investiture Medal (24 February 1975).

Foreign honours

• Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO, 17 February 1986).