Royal Fashion Minute: Asias's Queen of Fashion--Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan

The "Kate" of the Himalayas...

Costume Queen: Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk of Bhutan arriving at Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo Japan

Well, well, well, looks like we've got a new Royal Fashion Muse in the World. Particularly, within the continent of Asia--or "the Orient" as the Euros still like to say. Yes, kids, it's one of my new favorite Royals, the newly-betrothed (and crowned) Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan. This past week, Jetsun and her husband, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, made their first state visit as a couple to Japan.

Newlyweds: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan

They arrived on Tuesday and left today, Friday. Now, as you may now: A) I love me some Royals, B) I also have a tendency to discuss the fashions of the International Royals, and C) I also love anything international--especially FASHION & culture (blame that on my former Diplomat dad!). So of course, I am enthralled by Queen Jetsun.

Best Dressed: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan, Tokyo Japan

Not only is she STUNNING but also a FAB Ambassador (little did Jigme know--or did he??) for the small Himalayan Kingdom. I hope the government of Bhutan had increased their "Marketing/PR" budget. Because these two can certainly be the "William and Kate" of Bhutan. The newlywed royal couple of the Himalayan kingdom made their visit truly official as the duo were dressed in the Bhutanese national dress. Bhutan has a dress code for its citizens, who have to wear it in public every day. The national dress code, known as Driglam Namzha, was introduced in the 17th century.

King Wangchuck (above) 31, participated in the greeting ceremony in Tokyo in the traditional gho, a knee-length robe for men. A gho is tied at the waist by a cloth belt known as the kera. Wangchuck, often called "Prince Charming' for his Elvis Presley looks, wore the traditional dress with a kabney, a silk scarf usually worn with gho, wrapped around the left shoulder.

The 21-year-old Queen looked elegantly dressed in vibrant yellow attire as she made the rounds during her official trip to Japan. She sported a long-sleeved, short silk jacket, called toego, over an ankle-length hand-woven kira bound around the waist. Kira and toego form the national costume for women in Bhutan. Hers, of course, is taken to a "Royal" level--very "Haute Couture"--hand made, special silks and prints, etc. Lets discuss more of her "Japan Visit" fashions:

Queen Jetsun Pema with Princess Kiko (wife of Prince Akishimo of Japan, the younger prince)--This is her "Arrival" ensemble and of course, she looks regal and fabulous. In contrast to Princess Kiko--who yes, looks very elegant but could double as a Flight Attendant for Asiana Airlines...or the Japanese Jacqueline Kennedy during an Inauguration Speech.

Queen and Empress: Here is Queen Jetsun Pema (left) and her husband, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel (right), with Empress Michiko of Japan (middle). The Empress is a FASHION DIVA!!! Just look at her! Love that ivory silk ombre dyed ensemble. It's wonderful that the King and Queens colorful looks were great "bookends" to the Empresses serene yet chic look. I'm sure that was planned out. Nothing "just happens" kids.

Here--on the far right, is Queen Jetsun Pema (with her King) greeting Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and his wife Hitomi at the Akasaka Guest House. Love the lilacs, purples, lime green colors, and of course, the very contrasting pink collar and fold-up sleeve cuffs.

Purse Queen: Queen Jetsun Pema arriving for a ceremony where her husband was receiving an honorary degree from Keio University in Tokyo Japan. Besides the fabulous colors of her ensemble (as well as the King's!), I just LOVE her vintage-like purse.

Let's not miss her HEELS: Nicely done Queen Jetsun! Love the ivory moderate-platform and heel shoes. They go perfectly with the rest of her ensemble and still remain almost invisible. But...give her great stature and height!

Saying Sayonara: King and Queen of Bhutan say "Until Next Time" to Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan (right). His wife, Radcliffe College and Harvard-educated Crown Princess Masako, was absent the entire time because of her ongoing "stress-related" illness. It would have been wonderful to see both Masako and Jetsun together. Oh well. In this final "Japan Visit" ensemble, the Bhutanese Queen wore red, gold and horizontal-striped printed ensemble. Fab!

Royal Fashion Minute: The Bhutan Royal Wedding

The William and Kate...of Bhutan

Royal Color: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema

Yesterday, their was a ROYAL WEDDING. No Alexander McQueen wedding gown, no Philip Treacy hats and no celebs or Euro trust-funder Royals wearing Armani Prive. How could this even be a Royal Wedding? Well, it was The Bhutan Royal Wedding.

Bride and Groom Meet Their People, Queen Jetsun and King Jigme

The very popular, and handsome King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan, 31, married the "love of his life" and he said "his soul mate", a lovely girl, daughter of an airline pilot, ten years his junior--Jetsun Pema. At 31, King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck, known as the "Asian Elvis," because of his hair style, is apparently the youngest king in the world. Everyone is making a big deal that she's a commoner.

She was educated in the UK (and so was the King, who is Oxford-educated) and I have a feeling she is from an "Elite" family of Bhutan and well, not so much a "commoner". She doesn't look like she sells fruits on the streets of Bhutan.

The Location: Punakha Bhutan, Punakha Dzong--a 17th century fortified monastery-- was the same venue that held his coronation back in 2008 when his father decided to step down. His father has four wives--all sisters--but the new King has said that Jetsun will be his one and only. How very 2011!

Bhutan Dish: Bhutan, about the size of Iowa and with a population roughly equal to El Paso, Texas, is a place where there are zero stoplights, only three dentists and where TV appeared in 1999. I sure hope they DON'T get "The Real Housewives" but maybe "Project Runway"! Bhutan is known as "The Happiest Place on Earth" (I guess, besides Disneyland) and in fact, every two years, it conducts a Gross National Happiness Survey (yep, you read right), trying to see how happy its people are. That's not to say, it's all lovely in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom. The country has high rates of alcoholism, and 70 percent of women in the country say it's OK for their husbands to hit them if they burn dinner. Uh...OK, I guess, it's NOT 2011 yet in Bhutan.

The Bride Wore: Like I stated above, the bride did not wear Alexander McQueen but a local garment called a Kira, which took three years to weave. It is an ankle-length dress consisting of a rectangular piece of woven fabric, wrapped and folded around the body which is pinned at both shoulders, usually with silver brooches, and bound at the waist with a long belt. The kira is usually worn with a long-sleeved blouse inside and a short jacket or toego. The King crowned her with a multicolored brocade crown , officially making her his Queen.

King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck and his Raven Crown

The country will celebrate the Royal Wedding of their beloved King the rest of the week and through the weekend. I hope that means one thing for the new Queen: OUTFIT CHANGES!!!! Congratulations to the "Happiest Bride and Groom on Earth", or at least in the Himalayas.

Click Below for Video of the Bhutan Royal Wedding: