International royalsThailand

Thailand rehearses lavish £70 million funeral for late king

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22nd October 2017
As Thailand gears up for the five-day-long cremation ceremony of the late King Bhumibol, the funeral procession is rehearsed with officials in ancient costumes and black tops. The rehearsal lasted around five hours, and crowds of mourners watched as the procession passed them by. Some held up portraits of the late King. Preparations took almost a year to complete. For several months now, the late…
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International royalsJapanThailand

Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko to Attend the Late King of Thailand's Funeral

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11th October 2017
It has been confirmed that His Imperial Highness, Prince Akishino of Japan and his wife Princess Kiko will be attending the funerary ceremonies of the late King of Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, due to be held from the 26 October. There they will represent Japan as Thailand and the extended global community pay their last respects to Thailand’s longest reigning monarch, and the…
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International royals

King of Tonga Calls for Snap Election

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1st September 2017
In a royal decree yesterday, King Tupou IV of Tonga has dissolved the national parliament and called for a new snap election to be held a year early on 16 November. The sudden decision will be one of the first major tests of the island nation’s young democratic system. The Kingdom of Tonga held its first major democratic elections in 2010, which for the first time saw the majority of seats…
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