Norodom Sihamoni

About

Norodom Sihamoni (Khmer: នរោត្តម សីហមុនី, [nɔˈroːɗɑm səjˈhamoniː]; born 14 May 1953) is King of Cambodia.
A member of the House of Norodom, Sihamoni is the eldest son of King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Norodom Monineath. He was educated in Czechoslovakia and gained recognition for his work as a cultural ambassador in Europe and as a classical ballet instructor during his princely years. Before his election as king, he served as Cambodia’s ambassador to the United Nations and UNESCO.
He ascended to the throne on 14 October 2004, a week after the abdication of his father, Norodom Sihanouk. During his reign, Sihamoni has continued his cultural advocacy while supporting various philanthropic initiatives, balancing his role as a constitutional monarch amid Cambodia’s political developments.

== Early life ==

=== Birth, name and family ===

Sihamoni was born on Thursday 14 May 1953, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, when it was still a colonial protectorate within French Indochina. The prince’s birth at the time was viewed as a positive omen as Cambodia gained independence from France later in that year.
His given name “Sihamoni” comprises two morphemes from his parents’ given names “Sihanouk” and “Monineath…