Dubbed 'the Kate Middleton of the Himalayas', meet Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan

The Kate Middleton of the Himalayas: How a beautiful pilot’s daughter stole the King of Bhutan’s heart – and is now about to meet the royal who inspired her nickname

Jetsun Pema, 25, is a commoner who married King of Bhutan in 2011

Youngest queen in the world lives modest lifestyle in humble cottage

Plays basketball regularly and loves fine art and painting

Gave birth to her first child, a boy, in February who will be named this week

Will meet William and Kate when they visit Himalayan kingdom tomorrow

Published: 08:50 EST, 13 April 2016 | Updated: 12:06 EST, 13 April 2016

Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan, 25, is relatively known outside of of the tiny kingdom, nestled between India and China.

However the youngest queen in the world, who has been dubbed the 'Kate Middleton of the Himalayas', has charmed the local people with her delicate beauty and modest demeanour.

The stunning royal lives in a humble cottage and shunned an exotic honeymoon in favour of a walking tour to meet her subjects. Yet she is set to be thrust into the international spotlight when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Bhutan tomorrow.

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Jetsun Pema, 25, of Bhutan is the youngest Queen in the world, has been dubbed the Kate Middleton of the Himalayas. She has a lot in common with the Duchess of Cambridge - both are daughters of pilots, studied art history at university and are known for their sense of style

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to arrive in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom tomorrow, where they will be welcomed by the King and Queen

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So who is Jetsun Pema, the woman who so captivated King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan that he renounced his right to take multiple wives and vowed that she was the only woman he would ever marry?

Jetsun, who recently gave birth to her first child - a baby boy - is the second of five children, and although she is officially a commoner her family is not without royal connections.

Her father Dhondup Gyaltshen, a pilot with Drukair – the country's national airline - is the half brother of a former queen consort.

Meanwhile her mother Sonam Chuki, who comes from one of Bhutan's oldest noble families, is the goddaughter of a Bhutanese prince

The King plant a tender kiss on his wife's head as they pose for an official photo with their newborn son

The Bhutanese royals recently welcomed their first child, a baby boy. He will be named at the end of this week when he is two months old, according to tradition

Jetsun, who recently gave birth to her first child - a baby boy - is the second of five children, and although she is officially a commoner her family is not without royal connections

Her older sister Yeatso Lhamo is also married to the King's brother Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

Born in Thimphu, Jetsun spent her early years being educated close to home before attending boarding school in India where she proved to be a sporty student - just like her fellow royal Kate.

She enjoyed playing basketball and captained a school team, and her other hobbies included fine art and painting, as well as taking part in school bands and dance programmes.

Jestun also won prizes for public speaking, and is fluent in Hindi and English - as well as Dzongkha,, the national language of Bhutan - but was always modest despite her accomplishments.

Jetsun, who has been dubbed the Kate Middleton of the Himalayas, has charmed the local people with her delicate beauty and modest demeanour

People are required to wear traditional dress in public in Bhutan, but Jetsun has shown off a more polished style on overseas trips. On a working honeymoon, which included a trip to the UK, she wore a chic monochrome skirt with a lace top and grey tweed jacket, which she accessorised with a Chanel handbag

The King and Queen of Bhutan met Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall on their trip to the UK

The Queen looked stunning in a black one shoulder maxi dress at Delhi Couture Week in 2012

'She doesn't have any airs,' one of her former teachers said in an interview. 'I think she didn't even dream of becoming a queen.'

Jetsun's family connections and resources allowed her to study in the UK, where she began her degree in international relations with psychology and art history at Regent's University.

But her studies were cut short when, at the age of 21, her engagement to the King of Bhutan was announced.

It's believed they were dating for more than three years before the King proposed, and their relationship raised eyebrows as it was a love match rather than a traditionally arranged marriage.

Breaking with protocol, the couple also lived together for a time before they tied the knot.

The couple pose in traditional dress on their wedding day. King Jigme Khesar presented his wife with a silk brocade crown during the ceremony, making her the youngest queen in the world

As he presented his new bride to 30,000 spectators at Changlimithang Stadium the King asked the crowds if they would like to see them kiss. He delighted them with this peck on the cheek

The King then broke with tradition by giving his new wife a kiss on the lips. Couples don't normally show affection in public in Bhutan, but the King has always been open about his love for his wife

According to reports, Jetsun's very first meeting with the future king of Bhutan happened during a family picnic in the capital Thimphu when she was just seven years old and the prince was 17.

He told a group of students before their wedding that he'd been so moved by her beauty and inner goodness, that he'd got down on his knees and said: 'When you grow up, if I am single and not married and if you are single and not married, I would like you to be my wife, provided we still feel the same.'

Jetsun, 21, was still a student herself when her engagement to King Jigme Khesar was announced in May 2011.

He had been ruling since the abdication of his father, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, abdicated in 2006. The monarch, who had previously held absolute power, had decided to step down in order to pave the way for democracy and a constitutional monarchy.

The couple spend most of their time living in a modest cottage where they often receive members of the public

Queen Jetsun Pema and her husband take a ride on a tandem bike. They are known for their down-to-earth manner and began their married life by taking a walking tour through the kingdom to meet their subjects

The King has described his wife as a 'kind-hearted' woman who has all the qualities he could possibly want in a wife, even though such public statements of affection are rare in Bhutan

President Sonia Gandhi with the Bhutan royals during a meeting at her residence in New Delhi, India

But he'd waited two years for a coronation while astrologers decided on an auspicious date.

Eventually the King announced their engagement at the opening of parliament.

'I have thought it over for a long time and decided to marry,' the he said in his statement, which was broadcast live on national TV.

THE ROYAL VISIT TO BHUTAN

On the morning of Thursday 14 April, Kate and William will fly to Bhutan, arriving at Paro airport from where they will travel to the capital city Thimphu.

In the afternoon, they will experience a traditional Chipdrel welcome procession at the Thimphu Dzong, followed by a private audience with The King and Queen of Bhutan.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Queen Jestun Pema will accompany the Duke and Duchess to a temple where they will receive a blessing and light butter lamps.

After their time with the Bhutan royals they will observe an open air display of archery - the national sport of Bhutan - in Thimphu and meet young people from local schools.

Their evening will be taken up with a private dinner with the Bhutanese royals at Lingkana Palace.

He later paid tribute to his future bride's character and promised she was going to make a great queen.

'Now, many will have their own idea of what a Queen should be like – that she should be uniquely beautiful, intelligent and graceful,' he explained.

'I think with experience and time, one can grow into a dynamic person in any walk of life with the right effort.

For the Queen, what is most important is that at all times, as an individual she must be a good human being, and as Queen, she must be unwavering in her commitment to serve the people and Country.

'As my queen, I have found such a person and her name is Jetsun Pema. While she is young, she is warm and kind in heart and character. These qualities together with the wisdom that will come with age and experience will make her a great servant to the nation.

'She is a kind-hearted girl who is very supportive and whom I can trust. I don't know what my people will say about her, but I find her complete with all the qualities a woman needs to have.'

The couple's wedding took place in the same year as William and Kate's, but it was a vastly different affair from the grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

The Queen is a keen basketball player, and also enjoys fine art and painting. She studied art history as part of her degree, so she and the Duchess of Cambridge will surely have a lot in common

The couple will enjoy a private dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit

The Queen of Bhutan will be thrust into the spotlight when Kate and William arrive in the Himalayan kingdom tomorrow

They married in a five-hour Buddhist ceremony in a 17th century fortress, with the young bride wearing a traditional wraparound skirt and ornate shoes, surrounded by red-robed monks. Her wedding crown was also made from material rather than gold and diamonds.

Her groom came down from his throne to meet her, wearing the red Raven Crown which symbolises his role as 'the people's protector'.

He honoured his wife with a silk brocade crown, depicting two Ja Tsherings or Phoenix birds to symbolise the blissful relationship between the two, as he proclaimed her the new Queen of Bhutan.

Public displays of affection between couples are not common in Bhutan. But as he presented his new bride to 30,000 spectators at Changlimithang Stadium the King asked the crowds if they would like to see them kiss.

The couple married in a five-hour Buddhist ceremony in a 17th century fortress in 2011. The King presented his new bride with a silk, brocade crown making her the official Queen of Bhutan

After the wedding, the King praised his wife for carrying her responsibilities 'superbly well' and said he was very proud of her

And he delighted onlookers by giving his new wife a peck on the cheek. The monarch, then 31, asked if he should go one step further and the excited crowd replied with a resounding 'yes'.

He leaned over to kiss his nervous-looking bride on the lips.

The display of affection wasn't the King's only break from tradition.

Polygamy is allowed in Bhutan and his father had four wives - all of whom were sisters. However, he declared that Jetsun Pema would be the only woman he married.

He said after the wedding celebrations: 'She carried her responsibilities superbly well. I was very proud of her.

'She is a wonderful human being. Intelligent. She and I share one big thing in common: a love and a passion for art.'

After the traditional Buddhist ceremony, Queen Jetsun embraced royal duties immediately and spent days being introduced to her new subjects. Here she is pictured at the sacred monastery fortress in the old capital of Punakha, Bhutan in October 2011

Jetsun pictured while pregnant with the couple's first child - a boy - who was born in February. The couple released this photo to taken on the grounds of the Paro Ugyen Pelri Palace to celebrate the happy news

He also addressed comments that he'd left it too late to get married - 31 being considered an advanced age for settling down in Bhutan.

'It doesn't matter when you get married as long as it is the right person. I am certain I have married the right person,' he said.

The couple shunned an exotic honeymoon in favour of a four-day walkabout in Bhutan.

'We start working right after the day we were married,' the King explained. 'And if we travel we'll travel around the country. We like to meet more people.'

They then embarked on a working holiday abroad, taking in Japan and London, where they met Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Queen Jetsun Pema's royal duties include accompanying her husband on overseas trips. She is pictured on an official visit to Tokyo following her wedding in 2011

The royal couple with the King's father (centre) holding their newborn son in the first photo released of the royal baby

The new Bhutanese Prince being held by his doting grandmother (centre)

In keeping with their modest style, the couple have shunned the trappings of royalty by spending a significant portion of their time living in a humble cottage, where they often receive members of the public.

Currently, the Queen's royal duties include accompanying her husband on official visits throughout Bhutan and abroad.

She is the patron of the Ability Bhutan Society, Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Jigten Wangchuk Tshogpa and is the UNEP Ozone Ambassador.

She has retained her love of basketball and is said to still play almost every day.

The Queen has also impressed the nation with her style credentials.

People are still required to wear traditional dress in public in Bhutan, but on overseas visits the royal has proved she can pull off a more mainstream style.

One her visit to the UK she looked smart and polished in a monochrome pencil skirt and black and grey blazer – accessorised with patent pumps and a Chanel handbag.

She's also been spotted in Kate's favourite nude court shoes, which she teamed with a black coat on an official visit to Japan.

Recently, Jetsun took on her most important role yet as she gave birth to the couple's first child - a baby boy - in February.

The prince will officially be named on April 16, when he is two months old in accordance with tradition.