(11 Jun 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Nepal's former King Gyanendra, arriving at news conference in Katmandu's royal palace
2. Gyanendra seated for the conference
3. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Gyanendra, formerly King Gyanendra of Nepal:
"I have no intention or thoughts to leave the country. I am going to stay in my motherland Nepal and contribute to establish peace."
4. Wide of reporters at news conference
5. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Gyanendra, formerly King Gyanendra of Nepal:
"I have handed over the crown and sceptre that has remained the symbol of the Shah dynasty to the Nepal Government today for safe keeping."
6. Close-up of cameras
7. Exterior view of royal palace
8. General public gathered at palace gates
9. Wide of palace, people gathered by gates
STORYLINE:
Nepal's deposed king made final arrangements to vacate Katmandu's main palace on Wednesday and begin life as a civilian in the newly declared republic, saying he had no plans to leave the country.
Ousted King Gyanendra said he handed in his royal sceptre and crown of peacock feathers, yak hair and jewels to the Nepali government on Wednesday as he prepared to move to one of his former summer palaces on a forested hill on the outskirts of Katmandu.
There, he will be protected by police but will otherwise live as any other Nepali - albeit an incredibly wealthy one who some believe should still reign.
"I have no intention or thoughts to leave the country," Gyanendra said in his first public statement in months.
"I am going to stay in my motherland Nepal and contribute to establish peace," he added.
The vast majority of Nepalis have made it clear they are pleased to see the monarchy no more, and while Gyanendra's throne was formally abolished last month, Wednesday's move carries great symbolism in a nation that was ruled by Shah dynasty monarchs for 239 years.
Nepal was declared a republic last month after elections that saw the country's former communist rebels win the most seats in a special assembly charged with rewriting the constitution.
Speaking in a grand palace hall decorated with portraits of the Shah dynasty kings, stuffed tigers and ornate chandeliers, he said: "I have handed over the crown and sceptre that has remained the symbol of the Shah dynasty to the Nepal Government today for safe keeping."
The Narayanhiti palace has been Gyanendra's home since becoming king in 2001, after a palace massacre in which a gunman, allegedly the crown prince, assassinated King Birendra and much of the royal family before killing himself.
Government officials plan to turn the pink concrete 1970s palace into a museum.
After his brother's death, Gyanendra assumed the throne.
But the killings helped pierce the mystique surrounding a line of kings who had once been revered as reincarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu.
No proof has ever surfaced that Gyanendra was involved in the massacre, but rumours have swirled for years that he was behind the slaughter.
On Wednesday, he dismissed the accusations as a baseless campaign to defame the royal institution.
In 2005, Gyanendra seized power from a civilian government, a move that made him deeply unpopular.
He said he needed total authority to crush the communist insurgency.
But the rebellion intensified, and a year later massive protests forced Gyanendra to restore democracy, after which the rebels began peace talks.
The king does not leave public life a pauper, even if his palaces have been nationalised and his 3.1 (m) million US dollar annual allowance cut.
Before assuming the throne, he was known as a tough businessman with interests in tourism, tea and tobacco.
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