Norodom Sihamoni, the ruler of Cambodia with a fate full of twists, thanks to which he even speaks Czech fluently

The days of May 13 to 15 are dedicated to celebrations in Cambodia. They celebrate the birthday of the local ruler Norodom Sihamoni, the only monarch in the world who speaks fluent Czech. However, fluent command of Czech is not the only interesting fact about this ruler, whose life story was filled with dance, slavery, and ruling.

Studies at Czech schools and resistance against communism

Norodom's rule was destined. He was born as the son of the Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk, who sent him to then Czechoslovakia for experience when he was nine years old. President Antonín Novotný himself arranged a government scholarship for the young Cambodian, thanks to which the prince began studying elementary and later language school in the heart of Europe.

More than languages, however, Norodom was captivated by dance, which he eventually began studying at the Prague Conservatory and later at the Academy of Performing Arts. When the Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia, he was one of those who protested against the invasion. At the time, he had no idea that a similar fate would soon befall his homeland.

From hard work in the fields to Cambodian ambassador

A few years later, Cambodia fell under the control of the Khmer Rouge faction, and his royal father was overthrown. Sihamoni returned home in 1975. However, he was not greeted with any grand welcome; instead, by order of Pol Pot's regime, he had to work as a slave in the rice fields.

His family was imprisoned until 1978, when the Khmer Rouge regime fell. Until liberation by Vietnam, Sihamoni and his family were imprisoned in their palace. Afterwards, he withdrew to a remote monastery and became a monk. However, the desire to dance was stronger, so he eventually left the monastery and headed to Paris. There he founded his own dance school, which he led until the new millennium and where he later also became Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO in Cambodia.

Are you interested in more brutal facts about the historical rule of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia? Read another article where we describe the devastating history of Kampot pepper.

The Cambodian crown and honorary citizenship of Prague

He was crowned King of Cambodia in 2004 and has been at the head of the country ever since, although his role today is mostly representative, similar to many other monarchs in Europe.

The ruler has returned to the Czech Republic several times and always remembers our country with love. He is said to still speak Czech absolutely fluently! This year, the ruler, who is very popular in his country, celebrated his 69th birthday.

What do you think, shall we have a nice chat with him in Czech sometime? :-)

Source of the opening photo: reflex.cz