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Despite the fact that Ugyen Wangchuck had already, for a long time, been the strong man who guided Bhutan's destiny, Chogley Yeshey Ngodrup's resignation left the throne of the nominal ruler vacant. Therefore, one of Ugyen Wangchuck's very close friends, Kazi Ugyen Dorje, drew up a petition to the state council asking to consider the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck to Bhutan's king. This would give him the best position to protect the interests of the religion and the state. Seeing that, apart from the monks, the members of the state council had been appointed by Ugyen Wangchuck himself, it did not come as a surprise that the council agreed and elected Ugyen Wangchuck as first king of a hereditary monarchy.
Even though this brought the end to the Shabdrung's system of dual government, the founder of the state still retained his spiritual and cultural relevance. He was to provide the ultimate legitimation to the monarchy and each king.
On the 17th of December, 1907, the founding charter of the monarchy was signed in the Punakha Dzong by all the important personalities of the country; with the Shabdrung's seal its effectiveness became unquestionable.
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