# Sangay Choden

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{{Bhutanese Name}}
{{Infobox royalty
| consort      = yes
| name         = Sangay Choden
| image        = Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (cropped).jpg
| coronation   = 
| cor-type     = 
| caption      = Sangay Choden in 2011
| succession   = [Queen consort of Bhutan](/source/Queen_consort_of_Bhutan)
| reign        = 1979 – 9 December 2006
| reign-type   = Tenure
| regent       = [Dorji Wangmo](/source/Dorji_Wangmo)<br/>[Tshering Pem](/source/Tshering_Pem)<br/>[Tshering Yangdon](/source/Tshering_Yangdon)
| reg-type     = Co-queens consort
| full name    = Sangay Choden Wangchuck<ref group=fn>Women in Bhutan retain their names upon marriage.</ref>
| spouse       = {{marriage|[Jigme Singye Wangchuck](/source/Jigme_Singye_Wangchuck)|1979}}
| issue        = [Khamsum Singye Wangchuck](/source/Khamsum_Singye_Wangchuck)<br/>[Euphelma Choden Wangchuck](/source/Euphelma_Choden_Wangchuck)
| father       = ''Dasho Yab'' Ugyen Dorji
| mother       = ''Yum'' Thuiji Zam
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1963|5|11}}
| birth_place  = [Nobgang](/source/Talog_Gewog), [Punakha](/source/Punakha_District), [Bhutan](/source/Bhutan)
| religion     = [Buddhism](/source/Buddhism)
| successor    = 
| house        = [Wangchuck](/source/House_of_Wangchuck) (by marriage)
}}
{{Royal Family of Bhutan}}
'''Sangay Choden''' ({{langx|dz|སངས་རྒྱས་ཆོས་ལྡན}}, {{bo|w=sangs-rgyas chos-ldan}}, born 11 May 1963) is one of the four wives and queens of the 4th king [Jigme Singye Wangchuck](/source/Jigme_Singye_Wangchuck), who ruled in [Bhutan](/source/Bhutan) from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. She is the Queen Mother (Gyalyum Kude) of [Bhutan](/source/Bhutan).

== Biography ==
Her father, ''Yab Dasho'' Ugyen Dorji (1925–2019), was the Founder and Proprietor of [Ugyen Academy (UA)](/source/Ugyen_Academy) (03/04/2002).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ugyenacademy.edu.bt/main/page.php?id=1 |title=Ugyen Academy |access-date=2017-06-13 |archive-date=2019-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328120753/http://ugyenacademy.edu.bt/main/page.php?id=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her mother is ''Yum'' Thuiji Zam (b. 1932). ''Yum'' Thuiji Zam Charity School in [Thimphu District](/source/Thimphu_District) is named after her.<ref>[https://www.bhutannewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Private-Schools-Fees-2015.pdf Fee Structure of Private Schools in Bhutan]</ref>

She was educated at [St. Joseph's Convent](/source/St._Joseph's_Convent_(Kalimpong)), [Kalimpong](/source/Kalimpong), and [St. Helen's School](/source/St._Helen's_School_(Kurseong)), [Kurseong](/source/Kurseong), [India](/source/India).

Her three brothers are:<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Dorji |first=Yab Ugyen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKiNspaeno8C&q=grandfather |title=Of Rainbows and Clouds: The Life of Yab Ugyen Dorji as Told to His Daughter |last2=Bhutan) |first2=Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (Consort of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of |date=1999 |publisher=Serindia Publications, Inc. |isbn=978-0-906026-49-6 |language=en}}</ref>

* ''Lyonpo'' [Sangay Ngedup](/source/Sangay_Ngedup) (b. 1953), former [Prime Minister of Bhutan](/source/List_of_prime_ministers_of_Bhutan).
* ''Dasho'' Ugyen Tsechup (b. 1964).
* ''Dasho'' Topgay (b. 1966).

Her five sisters are (three of them are the other Queen Mothers):<ref name=":0" />

* ''[Ashi](/source/Ashi_(title))'' Beda (b. 1951).
* [HM](/source/Majesty) ''Ashi'' [Dorji Wangmo](/source/Dorji_Wangmo) (b. 1955).
* HM ''Ashi'' [Tshering Pem](/source/Tshering_Pem) (b. 1957).
* HM ''Ashi'' [Tshering Yangdon](/source/Tshering_Yangdon) (b. 1959), mother of King [Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck](/source/Jigme_Khesar_Namgyel_Wangchuck).
* ''Ashi'' Sonam Choden (b. 1969).

Sangay Choden was appointed the [United Nations Population Fund](/source/United_Nations_Population_Fund)’s (UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador in [Bhutan](/source/Bhutan) in 1999.<ref name=UNFPA>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unfpa.org/queen-mother-ashi-sangay-choden-wangchuck|title=United Nations Population Fund|publisher=UNFPA}}</ref>

{{Quote|I support the all around development of our younger generations, in whose hands lie the future of our country.}}

Sangay Choden is particularly interested in promoting the arts in Bhutan and advocating the country's rich cultural heritage. She is the patron of the [Bhutan Textile Museum](/source/Bhutan_Textile_Museum) in [Thimphu](/source/Thimphu) which she helped establish in 2001.<ref name=Queen>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raonline.ch/pages/story/bt/bttextmus01.html|title= Textile Museum in Thimphu - Preserving and promoting a national heritage|accessdate=March 30, 2010|publisher=KUENSEL News Paper, Thimpu}}</ref>

Her Majesty also established the Tara Lhadron Zhingkham Lhakhang, a temple dedicated to the 21 Taras located in the historically and spiritually significant temple grounds of Parigzampa Astrology School in [Dechencholing](/source/Dechencholing_Palace), [Thimphu](/source/Thimphu).<ref>[http://www.diplomatmagazine.nl/2017/02/05/queen-mother-bhutan/ Diplomat Magazine]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On 1 July 2011 she visited the [Alhambra](/source/Alhambra) with her daughter, Princess ''Ashi'' [Euphelma Choden Wangchuck](/source/Euphelma_Choden_Wangchuck).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-02 |title=Visita de la reina de Bután a la Alhambra |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/andalucia/sevi-visita-reina-butan-alhambra-201107020000_noticia.html |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=Diario ABC |language=es}}</ref>

== Children ==
She had, with the former king, the following children:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name!! Birth!!colspan="2" |Marriage!! Issue
|-
|Prince ''Dasho''<br/>[Khamsum Singye Wangchuck](/source/Khamsum_Singye_Wangchuck) ([http://2008.bhutan-360.com/uploads/2008/10/corontion_prince_khamsum.jpg Photo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801090408/http://2008.bhutan-360.com/uploads/2008/10/corontion_prince_khamsum.jpg |date=2013-08-01 }}) || {{birth date and age|1985|10|6|df=y}} || || ||
|-
|Princess ''Ashi''<br/>[Euphelma Choden Wangchuck](/source/Euphelma_Choden_Wangchuck) ([http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/PallasMoon/Bhutan/Newscom-sipaphotosthree329532.jpg Photo]) || {{birth date and age|1993|6|6|df=y}} || 29 October 2020 || ''Dasho'' Thinley Norbu<ref>{{cite web |title=Surprise royal wedding revealed for Princess Euphelma of Bhutan |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/2020102999968/royal-wedding-princess-euphelma-bhutan/ |website=Hello Magazine |accessdate=30 October 2020}}</ref> ||
|-
|}

== Patronages ==
* Royal Patron of the [Bhutan Textile Museum](/source/Bhutan_Textile_Museum).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Altmann |first=Karin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ZNlCwAAQBAJ&dq=Fabric+of+Life+-+Textile+Arts+in+Bhutan:+Culture,+Tradition+and+Transformation&pg=PA3 |title=Fabric of Life - Textile Arts in Bhutan: Culture, Tradition and Transformation |date=2015-11-27 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG |isbn=978-3-11-042861-2 |language=en}}</ref>
* Chairman of the [Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan](/source/Royal_Textile_Academy_of_Bhutan) (RTAB).<ref>[https://www.drukasia.com/community/ Drukasia]</ref>
* Founder and President of RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women) since 2004.<ref name=RENEW>{{Cite web|url=http://renew.org.bt/?page_id=57|title= President of RENEW}}</ref>
* Goodwill Ambassador for [UNFPA](/source/United_Nations_Population_Fund) since 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.unfpa.org/es/node/26001 |title=United Nations Population Award Ceremony |access-date=2021-03-20 |archive-date=2021-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103182416/https://www.unfpa.org/es/node/26001 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* President of the Gyalyum (Queen Mother) Charitable Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} The Gyalyum Charitable Trust Fund - Bhutan |url=https://gyalyum.org/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=gyalyum.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} The Gyalyum Charitable Trust Fund - Bhutan |url=https://gyalyum.org/about/about-us/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=gyalyum.org}}</ref>

== Honours ==
* {{flag|United States}} :
** {{Flagicon|United Nations}} [United Nations Population Award](/source/United_Nations_Population_Award) (Individual Category, 10 December 2020).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.unfpa.org/es/node/26001 |title=United Nations Population Award Ceremony |access-date=2021-03-20 |archive-date=2021-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103182416/https://www.unfpa.org/es/node/26001 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [House of Wangchuck](/source/House_of_Wangchuck)
* [Line of succession to the Bhutanese throne](/source/Line_of_succession_to_the_Bhutanese_throne)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=fn}}

== External links ==
* [http://bhutannewsonline.com/monarchy.html Bhutan News Online]
* [http://www.worldwhoswho.com/public/views/royal_families.html?country=BHUTAN World Who's Who]

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[House of Wangchuck](/source/House_of_Wangchuck)||11 May 1963||}}
{{s-roy|bt}}
{{S-bef|before=[Kesang Choden](/source/Kesang_Choden_(born_1930))}}
{{S-ttl|title=[Queen consort of Bhutan](/source/Druk_Gyaltsuen)|years=1979–2006
|regent1=[Dorji Wangmo](/source/Dorji_Wangmo)
|regent2=[Tshering Pem](/source/Tshering_Pem)
|regent3=[Tshering Yangdon](/source/Tshering_Yangdon)}}
{{s-aft|after=[Jetsun Pema](/source/Jetsun_Pema_(born_1990))}}
{{S-bef|before=[Kesang Choden](/source/Kesang_Choden_(born_1930))}}
{{S-ttl|title=Queen Mother of Bhutan|years=2006–present
|regent1=[Dorji Wangmo](/source/Dorji_Wangmo)
|regent2=[Tshering Pem](/source/Tshering_Pem)
|regent3=[Tshering Yangdon](/source/Tshering_Yangdon)}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Bhutanese royal consorts
Category:1963 births
Category:Living people
Category:Bhutanese queen mothers
Category:Wangchuck dynasty

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sangay Choden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangay_Choden) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangay_Choden?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.