Princess Deokhye

Princess Deokhye
덕혜옹주
10-11 year old Princess Deokhye, ca. 1923
BornYi Deokhye
(1912-05-25)25 May 1912
Deoksu Palace, Keijo, Korea, Empire of Japan
Died21 April 1989(1989-04-21) (aged 76)
Sugang Hall, Changdeok Palace, Seoul, South Korea
Burial
Hongryureung, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Spouse
(m. 1931; div. 1955)
FatherGojong of Korea
MotherImperial Consort Boknyeong Gwi-in
Korean name
Hangul
덕혜옹주
Hanja
Revised RomanizationDeokhye Ongju
McCune–ReischauerTŏkhye Ongju
Birth name
Hangul
이덕혜
Hanja
李德惠
Revised RomanizationYi Deokhye
McCune–ReischauerYi Dŏkhye

Princess Deokhye of Korea (Korean덕혜옹주; RRDeokhye-ongju; Japanese: 徳恵姫, Tokue-hime; 25 May 1912 – 21 April 1989) was the last princess of the Korean royal family.

She was born on 25 May 1912, at Changdeok Palace, in Seoul, as the youngest daughter of Emperor Gojong from his concubine, then known as Yang Gwi-in. After her birth, Gojong bestowed the royal title Boknyeong on Lady Yang.[2]

Deokhye was not formally recognized as a princess by Japan because she was not the daughter of a Queen. In 1917, she was officially recognized as a princess by the Japanese government and also her name was formally entered into the imperial family's registry. Her father loved her greatly and established the Deoksugung Kindergarten for her in Junmyungdang (준명당),[1] Hamnyeong Hall. Girls her age from noble families attended the kindergarten.

In South Korea, she is called Deokhye Ongju, not Gongju. Gongju refers to the daughters of the Queen, and Ongju refers to the daughters of concubines.

  1. ^ a b "덕혜옹주". Doopedia. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  2. ^ "덕혜옹주(Deokhye Ongju)". Doosan Corporation. Retrieved 3 March 2016.