Background
Queen Ratna belongs to the aristocratic Rana family and is the daughter of late Honorary General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife, Megha Kumari Rajya Laxmi.
Queen Ratna belongs to the aristocratic Rana family and is the daughter of late Honorary General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife, Megha Kumari Rajya Laxmi.
She is the second wife of King Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Ratna"s older sister Indra had married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940 but died in 1950. Two years later, Ratna married Mahendra.
She became Queen Consort after Mahendra"s father King Tribhuvan died in 1955.
In 1972 Mahendra suffered a fatal heart attack while hunting in Chitwan National Park. Ratna thereby became Queen Mother.
Name Ratna means "Jewel" or "Gem". The two women heard the gunshots but did not take them seriously.
A few minutes later, Prince Paras came and told them that the Crown Prince Dipendra had shot everybody, including the King.
The monarchy was abolished in 2008. The former Queen Mother Ratna was allowed to stay in Mahendra Manzil, her house in the Narayanhity Palace, where she is still living. Colonel in Chief Corps of Artillery (2 May 1956).
Nepal Children’s Organisation (Bal Mandir).
The former Queen Mother was famous for her social work helping children in Nepal. The Nepalese monarchy was abolished in 2008 after the Constituent Assembly election.
1928 – 1952: Lady Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi. 1952 – 1955: Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Nepal.
1955 – 1972: Her Majesty The Queen of Nepal.
1972 – 2001: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Nepal. 1–4 June 2001: Her Majesty The Queen Grandmother of Nepal. 4 June 2001 – 2008: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Nepal.
2008 – present: Her Majesty Queen Ratna of Nepal (titular).
National honours Foreign honours.
All members of the royal family had to leave the Narayanhity Palace, with the exception of the Queen Mother.