‘THE LION HAS RESTED’

World’s Youngest Reigning Monarch Dies at 34

The Guinness World Record holder for the youngest monarch to reign over a kingdom has died at age 34 after reports of a critical illness.

The world’s youngest reigning monarch, who ascended the throne at just 3 years old in 1995, has died. The royal family of the Kingdom of Tooro announced that Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was critically ill and receiving treatment in the U.S. around noon on Aug. 27. He died at 10 p.m. that same night at just 34 years old. The cause of death has not been made public. As the 13th monarch of the Bantu kingdom, founded in the early 19th century and now within the borders of Uganda, he was well respected and promoted causes for the people of Tooro, such as education, youth empowerment, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Mourners have taken to social media, saying, “The lion has rested.” The king faced pressure from his mother and the public to secure a wife and a direct royal heir before his death. But with his reign cut short, the Ugandan public is awaiting an announcement of who Rukidi IV’s royal successor will be. Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki told the people of Tooro to “remain united, calm, and prayerful,” as they await the announcement and mourn their king. “This is an immeasurable loss to the Royal Family, the people of Tooro and the nation of Uganda,” he said. “May His Majesty the King rest in eternal peace.”