Norodom Buppha Devi

Norodom Buppha Devi (Khmer: នរោត្តម បុប្ផាទេវី pronounced [n̪ɔroːt̪ˈɗɑm ɓupˈpʰaː~ɓopʰaː t̪eːʋiː]; official title Her Royal Highness Samdech Reach Botrei Preah Ream Norodom Buppha Devi, 8 January 1943 – 18 November 2019) was a Cambodian princess, dancer and director of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.

She was the daughter of Norodom Sihanouk and the late Neak Moneang Phat Kanthol, the elder sister of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and a half-sibling of current King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni.

Name

Buppha Devi derives from Pali words puppha (បុប្ផា), meaning flower, and devi (ទេវី), meaning goddess. The name is also romanised as "Bopha Devi" or "Bophadevi".

Life and career

Buppha Devi finished her high school education at Lycée Preah Norodom in Phnom Penh. As a young princess, her grandmother, Queen Sisowath Kossamak, chose her to become a dancer early in her life. At the age of 15, she became the premiere dancer of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia. At the age of 18, she was granted the title of prima ballerina.

She then toured the world as the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet with Queen Kossamak, performing in public. In the past the ballet had been performed only before royalty to commemorate their dynastic ancestors and to honour the gods.

Buppha Devi served as the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia.

Personal life

Buppha Devi married her first husband in 1959 at the age of fifteen, and had since then five children from totally four marriages:

• Princess Sisowath Moni Kossoma (born 1960)
• Princess Sisowath Kalyan Tevi (born 1961)
• Keo Chinsita Forsinetti (born 1965)
• Prince Sisowath Chivannariddh (born 1968)
• Prince Sisowath Veakchiravuddh (born 1973)