- Nov 14, 2025
- by Ashley Chen
- 113
Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Unveils Bhutan’s Soul in Pictures
On 13 November 2025, Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck launched Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom, a breathtaking photography book celebrating the beauty, heritage, and spirit of Bhutan. Featuring ten acclaimed photographers and curated under Her Majesty’s patronage, the book captures Bhutan’s timeless harmony between nature, culture, and spirituality.
Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck launched Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom, a monumental photography book created under Her Majesty’s patronage to honour the beauty, heritage, and spirit of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The launch, held in the presence of members of the Royal Family and invited guests, marked a deeply meaningful celebration of Bhutan’s timeless identity and artistic expression.
A Royal Vision
According to an article on Harper's BAZAAR, Her Majesty described the book as “born of a desire to share my country with the world — to present its mountains and valleys, its people and its rituals, its hopes and its joys.” The project reflects Her Majesty’s enduring dedication to preserving Bhutan’s culture while presenting it through a lens of global artistry. Significantly, the launch coincided with the 70th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth King, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck — a day of profound national reverence.
Inside the Book
Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom brings together the works of ten internationally acclaimed photographers, including Steve McCurry, Vincent Munier, Michael Yamashita, and Matthieu Ricard, alongside images captured by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck himself. The book spans approximately 300 pages, bound in elegant cloth, offering a visual journey through Bhutan’s landscapes, seasons, and everyday life.
From the prayer-flag-draped passes of Dochula to the ethereal stillness of Phobjikha Valley, each image captures the essence of Bhutan — a kingdom where spirituality and simplicity coexist. The narrative unfolds across the rhythm of Bhutan’s seasons: lush monsoon valleys, golden autumn fields, snow-covered dzongs, and vibrant festivals, reflecting both the grandeur and intimacy of the country’s spirit.
Why It Matters
Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom is a powerful act of cultural diplomacy, presenting Bhutan to the world through the universal language of photography. Each page preserves the country’s living heritage, capturing rituals, traditions, and ways of life that continue to evolve with time.
Beyond its visual beauty, the book offers travellers and artists a window into Bhutan’s deep connection between nature, spirituality, and community — an invitation to see beyond landscapes into a philosophy of harmony. For Bhutanese people, it stands as both a mirror and a legacy, reflecting who they are and what they hold dear in a rapidly changing world.
A Symbolic Launch
The timing of the release on 13 November, coinciding with the Fourth King’s 70th Birth Anniversary, adds a layer of symbolic depth to the project. It honours Bhutan’s modern legacy — from the visionary monarch who led the nation into constitutional democracy to the younger generation of leaders and citizens inspired by compassion, wisdom, and balance.
A Legacy in Print
More than just a photography collection, Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom is a bridge — connecting the ancient and the modern, the seen and the unseen. It stands as a testament to Bhutan’s story told through images that evoke not only admiration but also introspection. Every page is an act of gratitude — a tribute to the land, its people, and the royal vision that continues to safeguard its essence.
In this book, Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema’s vision comes to life with profound grace — transforming Bhutan’s soul into art. It is not only a portrait of a kingdom but also a portrait of harmony itself, where beauty is sacred, and the spirit of Bhutan endures through every frame.
Queen Jetsun's Speech at the Book Launch
There was something profoundly beautiful about it - to see our mountains and valleys alive with prayers, and people from every walk of life united in hope. It reminded me that Bhutan’s greatest strength lies not in what we have, but in who we are - a people bound by faith, by love, and by an unshakable sense of devotion.
These prayers felt like the most fitting prelude to a moment that has touched every Bhutanese heart - the 70th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty, our beloved and great Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
The days leading up to it were filled with reflection and gratitude - an awareness of how deeply His Majesty’s life has shaped our own. Each prayer, each offering, felt like an expression of love and reverence for a King who has given everything to his people.
For Bhutan, His Majesty is not only our Fourth Druk Gyalpo - he is our guide, our protector, and the source of so much of the peace and happiness we know today. His wisdom and foresight shaped the Bhutan we cherish; his guidance and example continue to shape who we aspire to be.
During His Majesty the King’s address to the nation on the 11th of November, he said something so simple, yet so profound:
“Sometimes I wonder what Bhutan would have been without King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.”
That single sentence resonated deeply with all of us - because it’s impossible to imagine a Bhutan without him.
And so, in the midst of these prayers and celebrations, I am truly happy to finally launch Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom. It feels almost like a prayer in itself - a small offering to our Kings, and to our people.
This book was created with love - by people who have seen Bhutan not just through the lens of a camera, but through the heart. It has been a journey shared by many - photographers, writers, editors, publishers and friends who each saw something special in our country and came together to honour it in their own way.
This book began with a simple wish: to share Bhutan with the world, to open a window onto its mountains and valleys, its people and rituals, its hopes and joys. But along the way, it became something more - a gift for Bhutanese ourselves, to see our home through new eyes. It allows us to witness our familiar world reflected back through the gaze of others, and in doing so, to rediscover what we often overlook.
Eleven extraordinary photographers have devoted their time and heart to this project and for that I am truly grateful. Among these photographs are a few taken by His Majesty, whose love for photography has been constant for as long as I can remember. These images reflect more than an artistic eye, they reveal a King’s deep love and devotion to the land and people he serves.”
The project brought together world-renowned photographers who travelled across Bhutan in different seasons to capture the country’s diverse landscapes, living traditions, and everyday moments through their unique lenses and perspectives. The book features exclusive photographs by His Majesty The King. Accompanying the photographs are texts by Pico Iyer, Matthieu Ricard, and Dasho Kinley Dorji.
Dasho Thinlay Norbu, who led the project, said that the participating photographers brought together artistry, empathy, and understanding, helping us see Bhutan with fresh eyes, while celebrating its familiar beauty. He thanked the photographers on behalf of the people of Bhutan, for their dedication, sensitivity and the sense of wonder and connection they created through their lenses.
Bhutan: Portrait of a Kingdom is published by French publishers Éditions du Pacifique in both English and French. The English edition will be released worldwide through online retailers and select bookstores in Asia, UK, US, and Australia. The French edition will be launched in Paris in December, followed by launches across Southeast Asia and a photographic exhibition in Paris in spring 2026.