Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was King of Nepal for three days from 1 to 4 June 2001. For the duration of his three-day reign he was in a coma after he had reportedly shot his father, King Birendra, his mother, Queen Aishwarya, his younger brother and sister, five other members of the royal family and himself on 1 June. Upon Dipendra's death, his paternal uncle Gyanendra became king.

The King of Nepal (traditionally known as the Mahārājdhirāja i.e. Great King of Kings; it can also be translated as "Sovereign Emperor" was Nepal's head of state and monarch from 1768 to 2008. He served as the head of the Nepalese monarchy—Shah Dynasty. The monarchy was abolished on 28 May 2008 by the 1st Constituent Assembly. The subnational monarchies in Mustang, Bajhang, Salyan, and Jajarkot were abolished in October of the same year.