Ka cika wannan jumla: Sihanouk ya zama sarki a lokacin mulkin mallaka na Faransa a shekara ta 1941 bayan mutuwar kakansa, Sarki Monivong. Bayan da
A lokacin da Japan ta mamaye Kambodiya a lokacin Yaƙin Duniya na II, ya tabbatar da 'yancin kai na Kambodiya daga Faransa a 1953. Ya yi murabus a 1955 kuma mahaifinsa, Suramarit, ya gaje shi don shiga siyasa kai tsaye. Kungiyar siyasa ta Sihanouk ta Sangkum ta lashe babban zaben a wannan shekarar kuma ya zama firaministan kasar Kambodiya. Ya mallake ta a karkashin mulkin jam'iyya daya, ya danne masu adawa da siyasa, kuma ya ayyana kansa Shugaban Kasa a shekarar 1960.