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Samdech Preah Bâromneath Norodom Sihamoni (born May 14, 1953 in Phnom Penh) is the King of Cambodia, the son of King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Monieath. Previously Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO, he was named by a nine-member throne council as Sihanouk's successor.
The then, Prince Sihamoni was best known for his work as a cultural ambassador in Europe and his keen support for the arts. In the late 1960s and 1970s he studied classical dance in Prague and then filmmaking in North Korea. In 1981 he moved to France to teach ballet and was later president of the Khmer Dance Association. He lived in France for nearly 20 years and has spent most of his life outside Cambodia.
In 1993 the prince was appointed Cambodian delegate to UNESCO, the UN cultural body based in Paris, where he became known for his hard work and his devotion to Cambodia.
On October 14, 2004, he was selected by a special nine-member council, part of a selection process that was quickly put in place after the surprise abdication of King Norodom Sihanouk a week before. Sihamoni's selection was endorsed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly Speaker Prince Norodom Ranariddh (the new king's brother), both members of the throne council. He was crowned in Phnom Penh on October 29.
King Norodom Sihamoni outside Banteay Srei temple, Angkor in 2004 External links
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