King and Queen immortalised in wax

Da Lat (VNA) - The first ever procession of wax figures depicting King Bao Dai and Queen Nam Phuong, the last royal family of Vietnam, will be held on June 10 in Da Lat, a city in the central highlands province of Lam Dong.

The statutes will be transported by horse-drawn carriage in a ceremonial procession on Friday morning through the streets of the city.

The procession will depart from Tran Hung Dao street and travel to Xuan Huong Lake, before arriving at the King Palace 1, one of three remaining palaces of the King

The King Palace 1 is surrounded by an 18ha pine forest and sits at an altitude of 1,550m. Situated on Tran Quang Dieu street, 4 km from Da Lat city’s centre, it was built by the French millionaire Robert Clement Bourgery in 1940.

King Bao Dai used it as his general headquarters and a workplace with government officials from 1949 to 1954 when he served as the Head of State of the puppet government in the French-occupied zone during the first Indochia war (after his abdication in 1945).

The special procession is part of the festival “King Bao Dai and the traces of his Palaces” which is held from June 8-12 this year. The pubic visiting King Palace 1 on this occasion can also view photos of the King’s Palaces throughout the country from North to South, including Hai Phong, Hue, Dak Lak, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Vung Tau.

Organisers say that these displays would provide citizens throughout the nation the opportunity to view images of the last royal family and reflect on the historical significance of the Nguyen Dynasty and its impact on modern society. The Palace would not only aim to preserve the souvenirs of the King, but also provide a cultural exchange with the public.

Bao Dai was the 13th and final emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty. From 1926 to 1945, he was emperor of Vietnam.-VNA