On June 1, 2001, Nepalese Crown Prince Dipendra machine-gunned to death nearly his immediate family when they sat down to dinner. His father, King Birendra, survived but spent nearly a year in a wheelchair. His wife Aiswarya, daughter and younger son died immediately. Dipendra turned the gun on himself and was comatose until he died on June 4.
Nearly two years after surviving the assassination attempt, King Birendra married the cousin of his late wife. So far, that marriage has produced two daughters but Birendra has been in declining health and was hospitalized or a stroke nearly a year ago. His eldest, 8 year old Kalpana Aiswarya Shah, was recently named Crown Princess after the parliament passed a law allowing females to succeed to the Nepalese throne.
Should Birendra die, Kalpana would become Queen but his brother Gyanendra would reign as regent until Kalpana turns 18.
Gyanendra has been known as an aloof personality who would rather tend to his flower garden over being king. Had Birendra not survived the massacre, Gyanendra would have become king.
Had that happened, would Gyanendra have been an effective ruler?
Nearly two years after surviving the assassination attempt, King Birendra married the cousin of his late wife. So far, that marriage has produced two daughters but Birendra has been in declining health and was hospitalized or a stroke nearly a year ago. His eldest, 8 year old Kalpana Aiswarya Shah, was recently named Crown Princess after the parliament passed a law allowing females to succeed to the Nepalese throne.
Should Birendra die, Kalpana would become Queen but his brother Gyanendra would reign as regent until Kalpana turns 18.
Gyanendra has been known as an aloof personality who would rather tend to his flower garden over being king. Had Birendra not survived the massacre, Gyanendra would have become king.
Had that happened, would Gyanendra have been an effective ruler?