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King Birendra was born on December 28, 1945. He was the eldest son of King Mahendra and Queen Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi. Birendra ascended to the throne in 1972 after the death of his father. He was a popular and respected monarch who oversaw a period of economic growth and political stability in Nepal. Tragically, Birendra and his family were killed in a palace massacre in 2001.