Prince Dipendra’s Childhood and Relationship with His Parents.

Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah, the eldest son of King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, was born on 27 June 1971, at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace on 27 June 1971. His family called him “CP” and his friends had given him the nickname “Dippy.”

The crown prince was military-trained at the Academy of Royal Nepalese Gurkha Army, and he was pilot trained in the Civil Aviation Department.  He participated in different national and international level sports programs where Nepalese athletes competed. 

Education

Dipendra Shah earned his early academics at Kanti Ishwori High School, located in Kathmandu, Nepal. Later, he attended Budhanilkantha School.

While studying at Britain’s Eton College, he became a karateka and held a black belt when he was around 20 years old. Then, he moved back to Nepal and joined Tri Chandra College which is affiliated with Tribhuvan University.

Dipendra also attended the Military Academy, in Khairpati, Nepal. He topped all Nepal while studying Geography at TU, and earned a gold medal. At the same University, he was doing his PhD study. 

Photo: Prince Dipendra in Budhanilkantha School. Photographed by Mike Scholey.

His Childhood 

Based on Vivek Kumar Shah’s book “Witnessing Palace, Power, And Politics (Memory of a Military Secretary,” Dipendra had a troubled childhood since King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya were more involved in state affairs. 

Vivek Kumar, who was a veteran aide-de-camp of the royal court for 26 years) claimed he met Dipendra when the prince was just three years old. 

In his book, the writer also mentioned that Dipendra was raised by orderlies and nannies so he lacked his parents’ love. He wasn’t allowed to spend time with other children, nor was given any training from experts to groom himself to be crown prince of Nepal.  

The author also claimed Dipendra didn’t get a chance to enhance his normal personality, as well. The lovesick heir to the throne was growing so stubborn and eccentric that he used to fight with people till they end up crying. 

Dippy’s colleagues at Eton recalled him as a boy with a temper issue. They also said he often used to show off a loaded revolver he kept in his room. 

Dipendra’s Relationship With His Family Members

Late Prince Dipendra is said to have had a bitter relationship with his parents. He started to distance himself from his mom and dad after he began going to school. 

So, King Birendra and his queen had even cut off their son’s allowance. As Dipendra grew up, he was in love with Supriya Shah (granddaughter of Queen Ratna’s real sister), but Queen Aishwarya opposed it.

According to many conspiracy theories, Dipendra fired a gun and killed his parents and other seven royal members, at a party held in the Narayanhity Royal Palace on 1 June 2001. 

Ketaki Chester, cousin of King Birendra who was a presenter at the Palace during the massacre, revealed that Dipendra shot his dad and kicked him even when he lay lifeless. 

His bond with Uncle Gyanendra Bir Bikram

Some people believed Dipendra’s uncle Gyanendra was a conspirator because the gun firing killed everyone in the line of power before him. 

Although Gyanendra’s wife Komal was present at the palace during the shooting, she was just slightly harmed, and their two children suffered no injury. Meanwhile, Dipendra’s uncle was said to be in Pokhara for a business meeting at the time. 

Upon the royal massacre, King Gyanendra remarked, “The incident occurred by an accidental firing of an automatic weapon.” This, though later on clarified to be a statement made under political pressure, further raised suspicions of people on him.

However, all official conclusions and proofs point out strongly to Prince Dipendra being the man who fired those guns that killed the royal family.