The Biography of Her Majesty the Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk

Chuon Bona | ថ្ងៃទី 18 ខែ មិថុនា ឆ្នាំ 2025

Born on June 18, 1936, Her Majesty the Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath is the youngest daughter of Mr. Jean-Froiçois IZZI, Director of Crédit Foncier de Saigon, Vietnam and Ms. Pomme Peang.

She married to His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh in April 1952. They gave birth to two sons:

His Royal Highness (HRH ) Prince Norodom Sihamoni, born on May 14, 1953 and elected King of Cambodia on October 14, 2004 by the Royal Council of the Throne,

His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Norodom Narindrapong, born on September 18, 1954 and died in Paris on October 8, 2003.

Before marrying the late King His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, Miss Monineath studied at Norodom Primary School, Sisowath High School and Lycée René Descartes in Phnom Penh.

She was President of the Cambodian Red Cross in the 1960s until the Coup d’Etat of March 18, 1970. From 1970 to 1975, the Queen lived in Beijing, China, until the defeat of the Republic Khmer and the establishment of Democratic Kampuchea with Prince Sihanouk is the Head of State until April 1976.

Between late 1975 and January 1979, she lived under house arrest in the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh with Prince Sihanouk and their two children, Princes Sihamoni and Narindrapong.

After the 1991 Paris Accords, Princess Monineath returned to Cambodia in November 1991 with the late Norodom Sihanouk. In 1992, she was elevated to the rank of Samdech PreahCheyea.

In 1993, after the proclamation of the new Constitution, Cambodia has become a kingdom and the throne was offered to Prince Sihanouk who become His Majesty Preah Bat SamdechPreah Norodom Shihanouk Varman, King of Cambodia. Princess Monineath was then raised to the rank of Her Majesty Preah Mohesey and becomes Queen of Cambodia under the name of Norodom Minineath Sihanouk.

On January 2, 1996, the King elevated her to the rank of Samdech Preah Reach Akka Moheseyby Royal Decree.

In November 2004, after the accession to the Throne of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, the National Assembly of Cambodia awarded the Queen with the title of SamdechPreah Mohaksatrey Vorakreach Meada (Her Majesty the Queen-Mother).

In addition to Khmer, Her Majesty the Queen-Mother speaks French and English.

 

By Pheara!