July 18, 2008
Two days before Nepal elects its first President, and less than two months after King Gyanendra’s crown was taken away from him, additional members of the former royal family left Nepal in search of a new life in Singapore. Former Prince Paras' wife Himani, her son Hridayendra (until recently second-in-line to the throne) and her daughters Kritikka and Purnika -- accompanied by Dilasha, the youngest daughter of Gyanendra's brother Dhirendra -- flew out of Kathmandu yesterday with ordinary passports.
Apparently unhappy with his father, Paras (accompanied by his brother-in-law Raj Bahadur) had gone to Singapore on June 30 amid concerns among members of the Shah dynasty about their safety, particularly in light of an imminent Maoist-led government.
On May 28, Paras removed his children from their school in Tahahal after the Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a republic by dethroning the king and stripping all the royals of their titles. Besides being worried about their safety, Himani was said to be concerned about the impact the sudden change in status would have on her children. Hridayendra, in particular, was used to being treated with deference despite being only six years old.
Gyanendra and the former queen Komal, who have been leading a very low-profile life in a hunting lodge on the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley, returned to Nirmal Niwas, their old residence in the capital on Wednesday. Nirmal Niwas was where Gyanendra had lived in the past as a prince, before ascending the throne due to the “Palace Massacre of 2001”, the tragedy that wiped out the lawful king and his entire family—presumably perpetrated by the then Crown Prince Dipendra.
More members of the former royal family are expected to leave Nepal in the coming days.
According to Nayapatrika, a Nepali daily newspaper specializing in monarchal gossip, Himani had wanted to leave Nepal for her father's native home, Sikar (Rajasthan), but Paras rejected the idea.
At this point, there are conflicting reports as to whether Paras will return to Nepal or not. The dethroned king, however, has indicated that he will never leave Nepal, no matter what happens.
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