Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (born 19 August 1928) was Queen consort of Nepal from 1955 to 1972 and Queen Mother from 1972 to 2008 when the royal family were stripped of all titles and privileges.

She is the second wife of King Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Queen Ratna belongs to the aristocratic Rana family and is the daughter of late Honorary General Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and his wife, Megha Kumari Rajya Lakshmi.

Ratna's older sister Indra had married Crown Prince Mahendra in 1940 but died in 1950. Two years later, Ratna married Mahendra. There were no children by this marriage as the new queen was sterilised to avoid succession problems; Mahendra already had three sons and three daughters with Indra. She became Queen Consort after Mahendra's father King Tribhuvan died in 1955.

In 1972, Mahendra suffered a fatal heart attack while hunting in Chitwan National Park. His oldest son, Prince Bahendra took over as Queen Ratna became Queen Mother.

Name Ratna means "Jewel" or "Gem".

On the evening of June 1, 2001- when the Nepalese royal massacre took place - the Queen Mother was sitting with her sister-in-law Princess Helen Shah in the anteroom, and thus survived. The two women heard the gunshots but did not take them seriously. A few minutes later, Prince Paras came and told them that the Crown Prince Dipendra had shot everybody, including the King.

The monarchy was abolished in 2008. All members of the royal family had to leave the Narayanhity Palace, with the exception of the Queen Mother. The former Queen Mother Ratna was allowed to stay in Mahendra Manzil, her house in the Narayanhity Palace, where she is still living.

...
Wikipedia