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VIDEO: In Bhutan, Land That Measures Happiness, A Royal Wedding

<p>King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema after their wedding earlier today (Oct. 13, 2011) in Punakha, Bhutan.</p>
Kevin Frayer
/
AP

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema after their wedding earlier today (Oct. 13, 2011) in Punakha, Bhutan.

Just for the beautiful colors and relative simplicity of the ceremony, it's worth noting and taking a look at today's wedding in Bhutan of King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, 31, to "commoner bride" Jetsun Pema, 21.

The Associated Press has video.

William/Kate it's not, which some would probably say is a good thing.

Tiny Bhutan, by the way, is the Himalayan kingdom that tries to measure "gross national happiness" because it believes gross domestic product puts too much emphasis on material things.

And what goes into GNH? "Spiritual activities like meditation and prayers and 'consideration of karmic effects,' " according to The Guardian.

Bhutan even has a Gross National Happiness Commission which gets a chance to consider and comment on proposed public policies.

Among the things policymakers must consider — are whether proposals will:

-- Increase or decrease levels of stress in the population.

-- Increase or decrease the "opportunity to learn about or participate in cultural practices and traditions."

-- Discourage or encourage physical exercise.

-- Increase or decrease "economic security within the population."

-- Increase or decrease "material well-being within the population."

Bhutan's population, according to the CIA World Factbook: 708,427.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.