The king arrived a bit late for his 59 th birthday bash organised specifically for journalists on 1 July. They stood still as he made his entrance dressed in a white shirt, trousers, black waistcoat and a dhaka topi, expecting him to chat like he did last year. But he walked past them with a serious face that left most journalists surprised and disappointed. This year, 15 minutes after he had arrived, he took his leave with the impression that it was not necessary for the king to either listen or find out what was happening in the kingdom. It clearly proved that he no longer saw himself as a constitutional figurehead but as the chief executive. Two years ago, at a public felicitation in Nepalganj, he declared that it was not possible for a 21 st century monarch to be seen only but to be heard also. He proved this by granting several interviews to both local and foreign journalists and interacting closely with media representatives.