Norodom Sihanouk

Sihanouk abdicated the throne in favor of his father to pursue a political career as prime minister. This allowed him to lead Cambodia's independence movement and later become head of state, shaping the country's neutralist foreign policy.

While abroad, Sihanouk was deposed by a coup led by General Lon Nol, backed by the United States. This ended his neutralist regime and forced him into exile in China, where he formed a coalition with the Khmer Rouge.

Sihanouk allied with the communist Khmer Rouge to oppose Lon Nol's government. He served as a figurehead for the insurgency, lending it legitimacy and support from China, which contributed to the Khmer Rouge's eventual victory in 1975.

After the Khmer Rouge took power, Sihanouk was placed under house arrest in the Royal Palace. He was held as a symbolic figure but had no real power, witnessing the regime's atrocities until his release in 1979.

Sihanouk returned from exile to become King of Cambodia under the UN-sponsored peace settlement. He reigned as a constitutional monarch until his abdication in 2004, overseeing the country's transition to peace after decades of war.