King Gyanendras confidants claim that the King's real intention behind the takeover in February 2005 was to reduce the Maoists' military strength, reduce their bargaining power and compel them to engage in talks. The King hoped this move would establish his role as peacemaker, enhancing the position of monarchy for years to come. He believed the monarchy should play a constructive role in the process of re-building the nation.

But many of the King's close associates politely and discreetly questioned the wisdom of his adoption of the Chairmanship of the Government, which no King, except his power-hungry father, had done before. King Gyanendra justified his action by indicating that ‘an extreme situation demands extreme measures…A little less would have yielded no results at all.’ What happened next was far from expected, like everything else in Gyanendra's bizarrely peculiar life.

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was born in Narayanhiti durbar on 7 July 1947, the fourth child of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah. Amidst great celebrations, the Royal Nepal Army gave a 19-gun salute in honour of the birth of a new Adhirajkumar, or the prince.

Unfortunately, within a few minutes of his birth, the court astrologer ominously declared that the newborn would bring bad luck to his father. So he was sent to live with his maternal Rana grandparents in Baghdurbar (the Tiger Court, a residence of Rana rulers).