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The monarchy of Cambodia is the
head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
of the
Kingdom of Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. In the contemporary period, the King's power has been limited to that of a symbolic figurehead. The monarchy had been in existence since at least 68 AD except during its abolition from 1970 to 1993. Since 1993, the King of Cambodia has been an elected monarch, making Cambodia one of the few
elective monarchies An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected monarch, in contrast to a hereditary monarchy in which the office is automatically passed down as a family inheritance. The manner of election, the nature of candidate qualifications, and th ...
of the world. The king is elected for life by the
Royal Council of the Throne The Royal Council of the Throne ( km, ក្រុមប្រឹក្សារាជបល្ល័ង្ក, ) is a nine-member council of Cambodia responsible for selecting the Cambodian monarch. It was established by the constitution on 2 ...
, which consists of several senior political and religious figures. Candidates are chosen from among male descendants of King
Ang Duong Ang Duong ( km, អង្គឌួង ; 12 June 1796 – 19 October 1860) was the King of Cambodia from 1841 to 1844 and from 1845 to his death in 1860. Formally invested in 1848, his rule benefited a kingdom that suffered from several centuries ...
who are at least 30 years old, from the two royal houses of Cambodia (the
House of Norodom The House of Norodom ( km, រាជវង្សនរោត្តម) is the ruling royal house of Cambodia. Its members are direct descendants of King Norodom (1860–1904), a son of the "Great-King", Ang Duong. The current head of the House o ...
and the
House of Sisowath The House of Sisowath ( km, រាជវង្សស៊ីសុវត្ថិ) is one of the two royal houses of Cambodia, alongside its counterpart, the House of Norodom. Both it and its sister house have a claim to the throne as descendants o ...
).


Role

Cambodia's constitution, promulgated in 1993 stipulated the king's role as a mainly ceremonial one. It declared that the king "shall reign, but not govern" as well as being the "symbol of national unity and continuity". The king performs important functions of state as required by the constitution. This includes but is not limited to: *Appointing the
Prime Minister of Cambodia The prime minister of Cambodia ( km, នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃកម្ពុជា, ) is the head of government of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet and leads the executive branch of the ...
and the
Cabinet of Cambodia The Cabinet of Cambodia, officially known as the Office of the Council of Ministers ( km, ទីស្ដីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី, ), is the executive body of the Kingdom of Cambodia led by the Prime Minister, assis ...
. *Convening over the opening of the two legislative bodies, the
National Assembly of Cambodia The National Assembly ( km, រដ្ឋសភា, ) is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Cambodia. It is referred to as the lower house, with the Senate being referred to as the upper house. The National Assembly is an elec ...
and the
Senate of Cambodia The Senate ( km, ព្រឹទ្ធសភា, ) is the upper house of the Parliament of Cambodia. It is a legislative body composed of 62 members. Fifty-eight of the Senate seats are elected every six years by the commune councillors from 2 ...
. *Serving as the Supreme Commander of the
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF; km, កងយោធពលខេមរភូមិន្ទ ) is Cambodia's national military force. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief is King Norodom Sihamoni. Since 2018, General Vong Pisen has been ...
. *Meeting with the Prime Minister on a semi-monthly basis in which the King is briefed on matters of state. *Signing the royal code/decree that gives effect to laws enacted by the legislature and proposals by the cabinet. *Acting as "supreme arbiter" to enable the functioning of state institutions. *Receiving credentials from ambassadors. *Possessing the power of commutation and pardon. *Presiding over the
Supreme Council of the Magistracy The Supreme Council of the Magistracy ( km, ឧត្តមក្រុមប្រឹក្សានៃអង្គចៅក្រម) is an organ of the judicial branch of the Government of Cambodia. History The Supreme Council was establishe ...
. *Appointing a fixed number of members to serve on state institutions such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council. *Awarding of national honours. The king also fulfils other roles not explicitly mentioned in the constitution in his capacity as head of state, for example, presiding over events of national significance including religious ceremonies and traditions integral to the Khmer nation, supporting humanitarian and philanthropic causes, and representing Cambodia abroad when undertaking official visits overseas. Although there have been female rulers in the past, the 1993 constitution currently forbids women from succeeding to the throne.


Ministry of the Royal Palace

The Ministry of the
Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...
, currently overseen by Minister
Kong Sam Ol Kong Sam Ol ( km, គង់ សំអុល, ; born 1 November 1936) is a Cambodian politician who has been the minister of the Royal Palace since 1998. He was Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1986 to 1989. He belongs to the ...
in conjunction with the Supreme Privy Advisory Council, formerly headed by the King's half-brother Prince
Norodom Ranariddh Norodom Ranariddh ( km, នរោត្តម រណឫទ្ធិ; 2 January 1944 – 28 November 2021) was a Cambodian prince, politician and law academic. He was the second son of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia and a half-brother of Kin ...
assists and advises the king accordingly in carrying out his duties as monarch.


Mythological history

*
Sage Kambu Swayambhuva Kambu Swayambhuva was an ancestor of the Punjabi Kambuja tribe and king of Aryadesa. He is listed and praised in shloka 22 of the Vedic ''Ekatmata Stotra'' hymn among Hindu sages, warriors and conquerors alongside Agastya, Narasimhavarman I, R ...


Early period (68–1431)


Funan Funan (; km, ហ៊្វូណន, ; vi, Phù Nam, Chữ Hán: ) was the name given by Chinese cartographers, geographers and writers to an ancient Indianized state—or, rather a loose network of states ''(Mandala)''—located in mainla ...
(68–627)


Chenla Chenla or Zhenla (; km, ចេនឡា, ; vi, Chân Lạp) is the Chinese designation for the successor polity of the kingdom of Funan preceding the Khmer Empire that existed from around the late sixth to the early ninth century in Indoc ...
(550–802)


Khmer Empire (802–1431)


Middle Period (1431–1863)


Chaktomuk Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indu ...
period (1431–1525)


Longvek Longvek or Lavek ( km, លង្វែក, or , ; meaning "intersection" or "crossroads") was a city in Cambodia. It was the second capital city during the Cambodia's Post-Angkor period which began after the Angkor era. The city was known to ear ...
period (1525–1594)


Srei Santhor Era (1594–1620)


Oudong ( km, ឧដុង្គ; also romanized as Udong or Odong) is a former town of the post-Angkorian period (1618–1863) situated in present-day ''Phsar Daek'' Commune, Ponhea Lueu District, Kandal Province, Cambodia. Located at the foothill of th ...
period (1620–1863)


Modern period (1863–present)


French protectorate of Cambodia The French protectorate of Cambodia ( km, ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោមអាណាព្យាបាលបារាំង; french: Protectorat français du Cambodge) refers to the Kingdom of Cambodia when it was a Fren ...
(1863–1953)


First Kingdom of Cambodia First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
(1953–1970)

{, style="text-align:center; width:100%" class="wikitable" !width=15%, Name!!width=105px, Portrait!!House!!, Birth!!, Death!!, Relationship to predecessor , - ,
Norodom Suramarit Norodom Suramarit ( km, នរោត្តម សុរាម្រិត, ; 6 March 1896 – 3 April 1960) was King of Cambodia from 3 March 1955 until his death in 1960. He was the father of King Norodom Sihanouk and the grandfather of C ...


3 March 1955
–
3 April 1960
''()'', , , , {{ubl,
Norodom Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and was ...
, , 6 March 1896
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
, , 3 April 1960
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...

Aged: {{age in years and days, 1896, 3, 6, 1960, 4, 3, , Father , - , Sisowath Monivong Kossamak Nearirath Sereyvathana
{{lang, km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ មុនីវង្ស កុសុមៈ នារីរ័ត្ន សេរីវឌ្ឍនា
20 June 1960
–
9 October 1970
''({{age in years and days, 1960, 06, 20, 1970, 10, 09)''
{{efn, Queen Sisowath Kossamak was not an official monarch, but a "symbol, incarnation, and representative" of the dynasty after the death of her husband, King Norodom Suramarit. Norodom Sihanouk appointed himself chief of state whose powers equal that of a traditional monarch.{{cite web, url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/04/28/archives/cambodian-queen-is-dead-in-peking-sihanouks-mother-71-had-joined.html, title=Cambodian Queen is Dead in Peking, work=The New York Times, date=April 28, 1975, access-date=June 23, 2020
, , , , {{ubl,
Sisowath Sisowath ( km, ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ, ; 7 September 1840 – 9 August 1927) was King of Cambodia from 27 April 1904 to his death in 1927. He was the son of King Ang Duong and half brother of Prince Si Votha and King Norodom. He is the ...

{{small, (by birth),
Norodom Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and was ...

{{small, (by marriage) , , 9 April 1904
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
, , 27 April 1975
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Aged: {{age in years and days, 1904, 4, 9, 1975, 4, 27, , Consort , -


Second Kingdom of Cambodia (1993–present)

{, style="text-align:center; width:100%" class="wikitable" !width=15%, Name!!width=105px, Portrait!!House!!, Birth!!, Death!!, Relationship to predecessor , - ,
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...

{{lang, km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ
24 September 1993
–
7 October 2004
''({{age in years and days, 1993, 09, 24, 2004, 10, 07)'', , , ,
Norodom Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and was ...
, , 31 October 1922
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
, , 15 October 2012
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Aged: {{age in years and days, 1922, 10, 31, 2012, 10, 15, , Son , - ,
Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Sihamoni ( km, នរោត្តម សីហមុនី, ; born 14 May 1953) is King of Cambodia. He became King on 14 October 2004, a week after the abdication of his father, Norodom Sihanouk. He is the eldest son of Norodom Sihano ...

{{lang, km, នរោត្តម សីហមុនី
14 October 2004
–
present
''({{age in years and days, 2004, 10, 14)'', , , ,
Norodom Norodom ( km, នរោត្តម, ; born Ang Voddey ( km, អង្គវតី, ); 3 February 1834 – 24 April 1904) was King of Cambodia from 19 October 1860 to his death on 24 April 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong and was ...
, , 14 May 1953
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
, , Living
Age: {{age in years and days, 1953, 5, 14 , , Son , -


Royal symbols

File:Royal Standard of Cambodia (Pre-1993).svg, Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia (until 1970) File:Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia.svg, Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia (1993–present) File:Royal arms of Cambodia.svg, Royal arms of Cambodia


See also

* Monarchs' family tree *
List of heads of state of Cambodia This is a list of head of state, heads of state of Cambodia from the accession of Monarchy of Cambodia, King Norodom of Cambodia, Norodom on 19 October 1860 to the present day. It lists various heads of state which served in the modern history o ...
*
Prime Minister of Cambodia The prime minister of Cambodia ( km, នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃកម្ពុជា, ) is the head of government of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet and leads the executive branch of the ...
**
List of prime ministers of Cambodia The prime minister of Cambodia is the head of government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The prime minister is also the chairman of the Council of Ministers, and represents the government at home and abroad. Under the current constitution, the prime ...
*
Devaraja "Devarāja" was the religious order of the "god-king," or Divinity, deified monarch in medieval Southeast Asia. The devarāja order grew out of both Hinduism and separate local traditions depending on the area. It taught that the monarch, king ...
*
Abolition of monarchy The abolition of monarchy and anti-royalism is a legislative or revolutionary movement to abolish monarchical elements in government, usually hereditary. Abolition of absolutist monarchy in favor of limited government under constitutional monarch ...


Notes

{{notelist


References

{{reflist, 30em


External links

{{Refbegin, indent=yes
"$1 million royal gift for Kantha Bopha" in ''Khmer Times''
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20181025145953/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-11/04/c_136728501.htm "Cambodian king, PM wrap up annual Water Festival" in ''Xinhuanet''*{{cite web , title=The Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia , url=https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/kh/kh009en.pdf , publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization
"President Xi meets Cambodian king in Beijing" in ''GB Times''
{{Refend {{Monarchs of Cambodia {{Cambodia topics {{Southeast Asian leaders Lists of monarchs Lists of Cambodian people by occupation