THE
Prince
HRH PRINCE DHIRENDRA BIR BIKRAM SHAH
His Royal Highness Prince Dhirendra Bir Bikram Shah was the youngest child of His Majesty King Mahendra and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi. Known to be a fun, kind and generous person, Prince Dhirendra was much loved by his friends and acquaintances.
As the son of the King of Nepal and later the younger brother of the King of Nepal, he fulfilled his responsibilities towards the crown, supporting royal charities and representing the crown nationally and internationally.
EARLY LIFE
He was the youngest among the six children of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah. He was born on 4 January 1950 at Narayanhiti Royal Palace.
His siblings are Her Royal Highness Princess Shanti Rajya Laxmi Devi Singh, Her Royal Highness Princess Sharada Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Her Royal Highness Shova Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah.
As a young boy he attended St. Joseph’s School in Darjeeling before moving back to Nepal for future studies. While in school, he enjoyed theater and often performed on stage. He played Cassius in one of the stage renditions of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. He later earned a Master degree in Arts from Tribhuvan University.
On 13 May 1973, he married Prekshya Rajya Lakshmi Rana in a Hindu ceremony. Her Royal Highness Princess Prekshya is the youngest sister of Their Majesties Queen Aishwarya and Queen Komal. Together they have three daughters, Princess Puja Rajya Laxmi Devi (1977), Princess Dilasha Rajya Laxmi Devi (1979) and Princess Sitashma Rajya Laxmi Devi (1981). In the 1980s, the couple separated and Prince Dhirendra moved to London, the UK.
HRH Prince Dhirendra was an active member of the royal family, representing and supporting the crown by carrying out engagements in Nepal and on official tours overseas. As the Prince, he represented the King at the coronation of Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1974. He was also the Chief Scout of Nepal from 1975 to 1988, and served as a patron of the National Sports Council. In 1987, he was the chairman of the National Youth Services Foundation.
Beside being a staunch nationalist and a dedicated supporter of the crown, Prince Dhirendra had interest in theater. He was a good actor and regularly participated in plays in his school. The Prince was also a capable sportsman, with a black belt in Judo from Kodokan Judo Institute, Japan.
On 1 June 2001, His Royal Highness Prince Dhirendra Bir Bikram Shah was severely wounded in the Royal massacre. He succumbed to his injuries two days later on 3 June 2001. He was 51 years old.
CHARITIES &
PATRONAGES
He was an advocate for national
sports and athletic development.
