Nepal’s former king to arrive in India today

After lying low for more than two years, Nepal’s deposed monarch Gyanendra Shah is all set to fly to India on Wednesday.

Officials close to the ex-monarch told the Hindustan Times that Gyanendra would fly to New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon in Jet Airways flight. Ex-queen Komal will also accompany him.

As this is Gyanendra Shah’s first foreign visit as a commoner, the ex-royal entourage is small, the officials said, adding that the deposed king is scheduled to attend a marriage in Orissa. “We cannot disclose anything. He will attend a marriage ceremony,” one of the officials said, adding that the ex-monarch has no political meetings in India. The royal couple is likely to halt in New Delhi for a night.

Gyanendra will attend marriage ceremony of his aunty’s daughter. Princess Bharati (King Tribhuvan’s daughter) was married the former king of Mayurbhanj, Pradeep Chandra Bhanj Deo. One of Princess Bharati’s granddaughters, is getting married on February 28.

The Maoist-led government in Nepal did not stop the ex-monarch from visiting India. “He (Gyanendra Shah) is a commoner, so we have no problem in his visits abroad,” Suresh Prasad Pradhan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.