Queen Baramparaye was the last both Queen consort and Queen mother of Burundi. Born in 1929, she married her husband late King Mwambutsa iv of Burundi in 1946 at the young age of 18 as his second wife. Mwabutsa iv was firstly married to Queen Therese Kanyonga who he divorced later. Queen Baramparaye and King Mwambutsa iv had a son late Prince Charles Ndizeye who later became King Ntare v of Burundi. Upon her marriage she also became a step mother to Prince Louis Rwagasore, Princess Rosa Paula iribagiza and princess Regina Kanyange. She became queen mother or Umugabekazi when her son became King
King Mwambutsa iv was toppled in July 1966 and his son took the throne until November 1966 when he the monarchy was overthrown by then prime minister Michel Micombero. King Mwambutsa iv lived his latter life in Switzerland where he was buried according to his wishes.
His son King Ntare v tried to take back the throne in 1972 but was assassinated by the government at the age of 24. His body was never recovered until today.
The Queen Mother Baramparaye was chased out of the he royal palace and her royal assets seized. She lived the remainder part of her life in obscurity.
📷 by Prince Ignance
In the 1990s she returned with a news agency to visit her former palace which was in terrible condition.
In 2007 she died at the age of 80 of a heart attack and was buried next to her cowife former late Queen Therese Kanyonga and step daughter Princess Regina Kanyange of Burundi.
📷 by Jimmy Elvis Vyizigiro
The current government of Burundi at the time held a state funeral at gitega the former Royal capital and apologised for the ill treatment the previous governments had made towards her. Her only wish before she died was find her sons body to bury him but it never came to be.
Photos courtesy of uMwami Mwambutsa page/Facebook.
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