Princess Bendara
Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Bendara is daughter of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta and his consort, Ratu Hemas.
Early life and education
GKR Bendara spent her early childhood in Yogyakarta before pursuing her education abroad. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management from the International Hotel Management Institute Switzerland and later completed her Master's degree in Heritage Management at Gadjah Mada University. In 2009, she represented Yogyakarta as a Top 10 finalist in the Miss Indonesia 2009 pageant.Beauty pageant
Miss Indonesia 2009
GKR Bendara was selected to represent the Yogyakarta Special Region in the Miss Indonesia beauty pageant in 2009. She represented the province under her birth name, Nurastuti Wijareni. During the finals, she placed among the Top 10 finalists but was eliminated at that stage and did not advance to the Top 5.Marriage
Kanjeng Pangeran Haryo Yudanegara married Princess Bendara, the youngest daughter of Hamengkubuwono X, on 18 October 2011. The "Royal Wedding" occurred in the same year as the Wedding of Prince [William and Catherine Middleton|marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton] and was attended by approximately 2,500 guests, including high-ranking state officials and foreign ambassadors.Pre-wedding Rituals
In accordance with Yogyakarta Palace custom, several sacred rituals were performed prior to the wedding:Langkahan Ceremony: As GKR Bendara married before her elder sister, Princess Hayu, she performed the langkahan tradition. She sought formal permission from her sister and presented a plangkah offering, consisting of pisang sanggan, traditional clothing, and jewelry.Inauguration: Before the ceremony, the groom—who was a commoner—was inaugurated as an abdi dalem. He was bestowed the title Kanjeng Pangeran Haryo and given the name Yudanegara. Similarly, the bride’s title was elevated from Gusti Raden Ajeng Nurastuti Wijareni to Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Bendara.Nyantri and Siraman: The groom underwent the nyantri ritual, where he was fetched by a royal carriage to reside briefly within the palace to learn court protocols. Both spent time in separate locations for the siraman to symbolize spiritual cleansing.Tantingan: On the eve of the wedding, Hamengkubuwono X performed the tantingan, a formal inquiry where he asked his daughter one final time if she truly consented to the marriage.The Wedding Ceremony
The marriage solemnization took place at the Panepen Mosque within the palace grounds. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X personally acted as the wali for his daughter, conducting the Islamic marital contract in the Javanese language.The peak of the festivities was the Panggih ceremony at the Bangsal Kencana. The event was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono. A rare tradition called Pondongan was performed, in which the groom "lifted" the bride. This ritual is exclusive to the marriage of a King’s daughter and symbolizes the elevation of the wife's status.
Procession and Personal Life
Following the panggih, the couple was introduced to the public through a kirab. They traveled by horse-drawn carriage from the Palace to the Kepatihan Danurejan for the reception.Personal Life
The marriage has been blessed with two children:Raden Ajeng Nisaka Irdina Yudonegoro, born in Yogyakarta on 1 March 2014.Raden Mas Radityo Mandhala Yudo, born in December 2018. In November 2019, the couple held a Tedhak Siten ceremony—a Javanese ritual marking a child's first steps on the ground—for him at the Pendapa Keraton Kilen, which was attended by the Sultan and the royal family.Career
Besides being active in various social and community organizations, GKR Bendara currently serves as the Operational Director of Spa Nurkadhatyan. This spa, owned by the five royal princesses, is located at the Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta Hotel and offers treatments inspired by royal princesses.As a member of the royal family, she holds the position of Penghageng of the Kraton Yogyakarta's Treasury Department. Professionally, she is actively involved in promoting Yogyakarta's tourism and traditional textiles, serving as the Chairperson of the Regional National Craft Council for Yogyakarta.