Stepping out from behind palace walls, these young royals are meeting the public on their own terms: a desk-bound princess, a fashion entrepreneur, a shy student researcher, and two medal-winning athletes.
Think “royals” and your mind probably drifts to the UK’s Buckingham Palace, with its guards, balconies, and very good hats—erm, fascinators. But crowns and castles aren’t exclusive to Europe. Asia has plenty of its own royalty. In fact, it’s home to four of the world’s five richest monarchs: the rulers of Thailand, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai. Luxembourg’s Grand Duke is the only European to make the list.
Yet wealth and tradition are only part of what makes Asia’s royalty so captivating. Beyond serving as the cultural heartbeat of their nations, these dynasties are now being reshaped by a younger generation carving out distinct, modern identities.
Stepping out from behind palace walls, these young royals are meeting the public on their own terms: a smiling princess at a desk job, another running a fashion label, a shy prince pursuing scientific research, and seasoned athletes collecting sports medals.
From Queen Jetsun Pema’s environmental advocacy in Bhutan to Princess Aiko’s Red Cross career in Japan and Thai Princess Sirivannavari’s runway success in Paris, Asia’s young royals are bringing a deeply human element to age-old thrones.
Here are eight young Asian royals worth knowing.
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1. Queen Jetsun Pema, Bhutan
Born on June 4, 1990, the 36-year-old Queen has been married to King Jigme Khesar since 2011, and the couple has three children. She studied International Relations with minors in psychology and art history at Regent’s University London.
Taking on her royal role at just 21, she remains the world’s youngest queen consort. Queen Jetsun Pema serves as President of the Bhutan Red Cross Society, Royal Patron of the Environment, a UN Environment Programme Ozone Ambassador, and Patron of the Bhutan Kidney Foundation. Renowned for her effortless style alongside her warmth and extensive charitable work, she is widely admired both at home and abroad as an exemplar of modern royal devotion.
2. Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Bhutan
Born on February 5, 2016, the 10-year-old Crown Prince is the eldest of three siblings and is currently in the early stages of his formal education. Affectionately known as the “Dragon Prince” or the “Gyalsey” (literally meaning “prince” or “son of the king” in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan), he holds the title of the world’s youngest crown prince.
He carried out his first solo public engagement on June 6, 2022, at the age of six, and has since regularly accompanied his parents on official duties at home and abroad. In 2023, he became Bhutan’s first digital citizen, and in February 2024, he officially received the royal charter establishing the Gelephu Mindfulness City. A national student mathematics award is also held in his honor.
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3. Prince Abdul Mateen, Brunei
Born on August 10, 1991, 35-year-old Prince Mateen married Anisha Rosnah in 2024, and the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in February 2026. Educated at King’s College London (BA) and SOAS (MA), he also completed officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
An accomplished polo player and a four-time SEA Games medalist, Prince Mateen was long dubbed one of Asia’s most eligible royal bachelors. Today, he is known for his athleticism, impeccable style, and strong family ties, frequently representing his father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, at major state and diplomatic events as Brunei’s third foreign minister.
Prince Mateen is also quite social media savvy, sharing glimpses of his sporting pursuits, family life, and royal duties with his 3.2 million Instagram followers. Add in the countless online fan pages dedicated to him, and it’s easy to see why he’s considered a heartthrob.
4. Crown Prince Hussein, Jordan
Born on June 28, 1994, the 32-year-old Crown Prince married Princess Rajwa Al Hussein in June 2023, and the couple welcomed a daughter, Princess Iman, in 2024. He graduated from King’s Academy in 2012, earned a bachelor’s degree in International History from Georgetown University in 2016, and completed officer training at Sandhurst in 2017.
Named Crown Prince in 2009, he holds the rank of Major in the Jordan Armed Forces and frequently serves as regent. In 2015, he became the youngest person to chair a UN Security Council meeting, leading a session on youth engagement in countering violent extremism.
Following in the footsteps of his mother, Queen Rania, one of the world’s most recognizable royals, he actively engages in public diplomacy to showcase Jordan’s heritage and advance global humanitarian initiatives. He has a strong social media following, too, with about 5.5 million on Instagram.
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5. Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, Thailand
Born on January 8, 1987, the 39-year-old Princess earned a first-class honors degree with a gold medal in fashion design from Chulalongkorn University before advancing her studies at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris.
She launched her eponymous fashion label in 2005 and made her international runway debut in 2007 at the invitation of Pierre Balmain, recently expanding her brand with a Paris pop-up in May 2025.
Beyond design, she is a multi-sport athlete—winning a SEA Games badminton gold in 2005 and bronze in 2007, alongside a team bronze in equestrian dressage in 2017—and continues to compete in international equestrian events. In 2023, she was appointed Major General in the Royal Thai Army, and in May, she received France’s prestigious Légion d’honneur.
6. Aiko, Princess Toshi, Japan
Born on December 1, 2001, 24-year-old Princess Aiko is the only child of Emperor Naruhito. She graduated in 2024 with a degree in Japanese Language and Literature from Gakushuin University. For many years, she has been at the center of a fierce succession debate. Under current Japanese imperial law, women are barred from ascending the throne, placing her outside the line of succession.
Since April 2024, she has worked as a non-regular, full-time employee at the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) in Tokyo, where her responsibilities include editing an official information bulletin. In November 2025, she undertook her first official overseas trip to Laos, meeting with the president and high-ranking dignitaries. Her grace, work ethic, and dedication have earned her overwhelming affection from the Japanese public.
7. Prince Hisahito of Akishino, Japan
Having turned 20 on September 6, 2026, Prince Hisahito is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne and a second-year biological sciences student at the University of Tsukuba.
A lifelong enthusiast of wildlife and insects, particularly dragonflies, he has also settled into campus life by joining a badminton club, a sport he took up in high school. Following his coming-of-age ceremony in 2025, he took on official duties, including attending a state banquet for Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. His down-to-earth, relatable image as a dedicated college student has made him a favorite among younger Japanese.
Hisahito is also at the center of a national conversation. As the only male heir of his generation, he stands at the heart of Japan’s imperial succession debate, alongside his cousin Princess Aiko, the Emperor’s only child, who is barred from the throne under current law despite her enormous popularity. With the imperial family’s ranks shrinking, the question of whether the rules should change has become one of Japan’s most closely watched royal issues.
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8. Princess Norodom Jenna, Cambodia
Born in Paris on March 11, 2012, 14-year-old Princess Norodom Jenna is the daughter of Princess Norodom Bophary and a French businessman, making her a great-granddaughter of the late King Norodom Sihanouk. She studied opera at the Music Arts School in Phnom Penh and is fluent in French, Khmer, Thai, Chinese, and English.
She began her career as an actress and performer at age six, and in late July 2026, she performed at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Cup in Phnom Penh. A passionate K-pop fan who frequently showcases dance and song covers online, she also regularly appears in traditional sampot attire, bridging pop culture with heritage as a vibrant youth ambassador for Cambodia. In April 2026, King Norodom Sihamoni reportedly conferred upon her the title of Royal Highness.
Together, these young leaders demonstrate how Asian monarchies are evolving in a fast-paced, highly digital, and fragmented world. From a child heir taking on symbolic duties in Bhutan to Jordanian leadership on the global stage, and from creative entrepreneurs to full-time civic workers and academics, they show that royal status is no longer defined by lineage alone but by active engagement.
Above all, they remind us that to be a truly impactful royal, one must venture far beyond the palace walls.
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