Sirikit

{{Infobox royalty

| consort = yes

| title = Queen Mother of Thailand

| image = Queen Sirikit In Russia 2007.jpg

| caption = Queen Sirikit in 2007

| name = {{ubl|Sirikit|{{langn|th|สิริกิติ์}}}}

| succession = Queen consort of Thailand

| reign = 28 April 1950 – {{nowrap|13 October 2016}}

| coronation = 5 May 1950

| cor-type = Coronation

| birth_name = Sirikit Kitiyakara

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1932|8|12}}

| birth_place = Bangkok, Siam

| spouse = {{marriage|Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)|28 April 1950|13 October 2016|end=died}}

| issue = {{ubli|Princess Ubol Ratana|Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)|Sirindhorn, Princess Royal|Chulabhorn, Princess Srisavangavadhana}}

| issue-link = #Issue

| issue-pipe = Detail

| house = {{ubl|Kitiyakara (by birth)|Mahidol (by marriage)}} (Chakri dynasty)

| father = Nakkhatra Mangala

| mother = Bua Snidvongs

| religion = Theravada Buddhism

| signature = Queen Sirikit Signature.svg

}}

Sirikit{{efn|{{langx|th|สิริกิติ์}}, {{IPA|th|sì.rì.kìt|pron}} {{Audio|Th-Queen Sirikit.ogg|listen}}.}}{{cite news |title=Rare royal photos of Queen Sirikit released for 90th birthday |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/royal/40018859 |access-date=6 August 2023 |work=nationthailand |date=13 August 2022 |language=en}} (born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara;{{efn|{{langx|th|สิริกิติ์ กิติยากร}}; {{RTGS|Sirikit Kitiyakon}}.}} 12 August 1932) is a member of the Thai royal family who was Queen of Thailand from 28 April 1950 to 13 October 2016 as the wife of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). She is the mother of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

She met Bhumibol in Paris, where her father was Thai ambassador. They married in 1950, shortly before Bhumibol's coronation. Sirikit was appointed queen regent in 1956, when the king entered the Buddhist monkhood for a period of time. Sirikit has four children with the king. Consort of the monarch who was, at the time the world's longest-reigning head of state, she was also the world's longest-serving queen consort. Sirikit suffered a stroke in 2012 and has since refrained from public appearances.

Early life and family

Sirikit was born on 12 August 1932, at the home of Lord Vongsanuprabhand, her maternal grandfather. She is the eldest daughter and the third child of Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara, the son of Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana, and Mom Luang Bua Snidvongs (1909–1999). Her name, which was given by Queen Rambai Barni, means "the greatness of Kitiyakara".https://www.silpa-mag.com/club/art-and-culture/article_19343{{nonspecific|date=May 2020}}

She had three siblings, two elder brothers and a younger sister:

Prince Kalyanakit Kitiyakara, (20 September 1929 – 15 May 1987)
Prince Adulakit Kitiyakara (2 November 1930 – 5 May 2004)
Princess Busba Kitiyakara (born 2 August 1934)

Sirikit was raised by her maternal grandparents for a year after her birth, since her father was in the United States to work as the secretary of the Siamese Embassy at Washington, D.C. Her mother joined her husband three months later. When she was one year old, her parents returned to Thailand. Sirikit lived together with her family in Deves Palace, near the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok.{{cite web |url=https://campus.campus-star.com/variety/52926.html |title = พระราชประวัติการศึกษา สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ฯ {{!}} รอยยิ้มของในหลวง ร.9| date=18 October 2017 }}

As a child, Sirikit often visited her paternal grandmother. Once in 1933, she travelled with Princess Absornsaman Devakula following King Prajadhipok's tour in Songkhla.{{Cite web|url=https://lifestyle.campus-star.com/knowledge/129883.html|title = สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ฯ - แขกเลี้ยงวัวทำนาย เด็กผู้หญิงคนนี้มีบุญวาสนาเป็นราชินี|date = 11 August 2018}}

Education

At age four, Sirikit attended the Kindergarten College at Rajini School (sometimes called the Queen's College), where she studied at the primary level. During that time the Pacific War was being fought. Bangkok was bombed many times, especially the rail lines, making travel unsafe. She therefore moved to Saint Francis Xavier Convent School, since it was near the palace. She studied at Saint Francis Xavier from her second primary year through the early secondary level.[https://campus.campus-star.com/variety/52926.html พระราชประวัติการศึกษา สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ฯ | รอยยิ้มของในหลวง ร.9][https://www.naewna.com/lady/437644 สมาคมศิษย์เซนต์ฟรังฯ จัดพิธีบูชาขอบพระคุณ ถวายพระพรแด่ สมเด็จพระบรมราชชนนีพันปีหลวง]

In 1946, with the war now over, her father moved to the United Kingdom as the ambassador to the Court of St James's, taking his family with him. Sirikit was then 13 and completed her secondary education. While in England she learned to play the piano and became fluent in English and French. Because of her father's work as a diplomat, the family moved to other countries, including Denmark and France. While in France, she studied at a music academy in Paris.

Also in France, Sirikit met King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was related to her, since both were descendants of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). At that time, Bhumibol had ascended to the throne and was studying in Switzerland. Bhumibol and Sirikit (as well as a few other students) were staying at the Royal Thai Embassy in Paris. Sirikit accompanied the king as he visited various tourist attractions, and they found that they had much in common.

Marriage

File:Sirikit Rambhai Barni Galyani Vaddhana.jpg (center), Princess Hemvadi, Princess Adorn Dibyanibha and Queen Rambhai Barni (right) in 1950]]

On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne road, he collided into the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. He injured his back and incurred cuts on his face that cost him most of the sight in one eye.Handley, Paul M. (2006). [https://books.google.com/books?id=nDspKDZkgcQC&pg=PA104 The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej], pp. 103–4. Yale University Press. He subsequently wore an ocular prosthetic. While he was hospitalised in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently. She met his mother, The Princess Mother Sangwan, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that the king could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected a boarding school for her in Lausanne, Riante Rive. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949, and the couple married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation. The royal pair had four children, through whom they had twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

=Establishment of the Queen=

File:Staatsbezoek Koning en Koningin van Thailand , Rijksmuseum, Bestanddeelnr 911-6964.jpg

The marriage took place at Srapathum Palace. Queen Sri Savarindira, the Queen Grandmother presided over the marriage ceremony. Both the king and Sirikit signed on line 11 of their certificate of marriage. As she was not yet 18, her parents also signed, on line 12 directly under her signature. She later received the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, and became queen. After the coronation ceremony on 5 May 1950, both went back to Switzerland to continue their studies, and returned to Bangkok in 1952.

=Issue=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
rowspan="2" scope="col" \| Name ! rowspan="2" scope="col" \| Birth ! colspan="2" scope="col" \| Marriage ! rowspan="2" scope="col" \| Their children
scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Spouse
rowspan="3" scope="row" \| Princess Ubolratana \| rowspan="3" \| {{Birth date and age\|1951\|4\|5\|df=yes}} \| rowspan="3" \| 25 July 1972 {{small\|Divorced 1998}} \| rowspan="3" \| Peter Ladd Jensen \| Ploypailin Jensen
Poom Jensen
Sirikitiya Jensen
rowspan="8" scope="row" \| Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) \| rowspan="8" \| {{Birth date and age\|1952\|7\|28\|df=yes}} \| 3 January 1977 {{small\|Divorced 12 August 1991}} \| Soamsawali Kitiyakara \| Bajrakitiyabha, Princess Rajasarini Siribajra
rowspan="5" \| February 1994 {{small\|Divorced 1996}} \| rowspan="5" \| Yuvadhida Polpraserth \| Juthavachara Vivacharawongse
Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse
Chakriwat Vivacharawongse
Vatchrawee Vivacharawongse
Princess Sirivannavari
10 February 2001 {{small\|Divorced 11 December 2014}} \| Srirasmi Suwadee \| Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti
1 May 2019 \| Suthida Tidjai \| {{N/A\|None}}
scope="row" \| Sirindhorn, Princess Royal \| {{Birth date and age\|1955\|4\|2\|df=yes}} \| colspan="2" {{N/A\|None}} \| {{N/A\|None}}
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| Chulabhorn, Princess Srisavangavadhana \| rowspan="2" \| {{Birth date and age\|1957\|7\|4\|df=yes}} \| rowspan="2" \| 7 January 1982 {{small\|Divorced 1996}} \| rowspan="2" \| Virayudh Tishyasarin \| Princess Siribha Chudabhorn
Princess Aditayadorn Kitikhun

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

rowspan="2" scope="col" | Name

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Birth

! colspan="2" scope="col" | Marriage

! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Their children

scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Spouse

rowspan="3" scope="row" | Princess Ubolratana

| rowspan="3" | {{Birth date and age|1951|4|5|df=yes}}

| rowspan="3" | 25 July 1972
{{small|Divorced 1998}}

| rowspan="3" | Peter Ladd Jensen

| Ploypailin Jensen

Poom Jensen

Sirikitiya Jensen

rowspan="8" scope="row" | Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)

| rowspan="8" | {{Birth date and age|1952|7|28|df=yes}}

| 3 January 1977
{{small|Divorced 12 August 1991}}

| Soamsawali Kitiyakara

| Bajrakitiyabha, Princess Rajasarini Siribajra

rowspan="5" | February 1994
{{small|Divorced 1996}}

| rowspan="5" | Yuvadhida Polpraserth

| Juthavachara Vivacharawongse

Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse

Chakriwat Vivacharawongse

Vatchrawee Vivacharawongse

Princess Sirivannavari

10 February 2001
{{small|Divorced 11 December 2014}}

| Srirasmi Suwadee

| Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti

1 May 2019

| Suthida Tidjai

| {{N/A|None}}

scope="row" | Sirindhorn, Princess Royal

| {{Birth date and age|1955|4|2|df=yes}}

| colspan="2" {{N/A|None}}

| {{N/A|None}}

rowspan="2" scope="row" | Chulabhorn, Princess Srisavangavadhana

| rowspan="2" | {{Birth date and age|1957|7|4|df=yes}}

| rowspan="2" | 7 January 1982
{{small|Divorced 1996}}

| rowspan="2" | Virayudh Tishyasarin

| Princess Siribha Chudabhorn

Princess Aditayadorn Kitikhun

Regency

File:Pramuan Phap Song Phanuat (1956, p 07).jpg convened at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall on 20 September 1956 when she was appointed regent by her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.]]

File:Adulyadej Bhumibol (1963) by Erling Mandelmann.jpg

File:Vladimir Putin with Queen Sirikit-2.jpg, 2007]]

When the king undertook the traditional period as a Buddhist monk in 1956, Queen Sirikit acted as regent.Handley (2006), p. 131-32. She performed her duties so well that she was officially named the Regent of Thailand and the King gave her the title 'Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat' on his birthday, 5 December 1956. She became the second Siamese queen regent in Thai history. The first was Queen Saovabha Phongsri of Siam, who served as regent when her husband King Chulalongkorn travelled to Europe, and later became Queen Sri Patcharindra.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Health

At dawn on 21 July 2012, Queen Sirikit felt unsteady and staggered while exercising at Siriraj Hospital, where King Bhumibol Adulyadej resided. After performing magnetic resonance imaging, a team of physicians determined that she had suffered an ischemic stroke.{{cite web | title = Statement of the Bureau of the Royal Household, Re: Her Majesty the Queen falls ill at Siriraj Hospital, dated 21 July 2012. | url = http://www.brh.thaigov.net/information/Buket%20Data/2012/2012_07/2012_07_27/S102_23072012.pdf | publisher = Bureau of the Royal Household | date = 21 July 2012 | access-date = 5 December 2012 | language = th }}

The queen was treated and has refrained from public appearances since, including the grand audience granted by her husband on his 85th birthday from the Ananta Samakhom Hall on 5 December 2012.{{cite web | title = Statement of the Bureau of the Royal Household, Re: Her Majesty the Queen falls ill at Siriraj Hospital, No. 12, dated 4 December 2012. | url = https://dl.dropbox.com/u/51935956/2012/201212/2012_12_04/Queen902_04122555_1.pdf | publisher = Bureau of the Royal Household | date = 4 December 2012 | access-date = 5 December 2012 | language = th }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On 29 November 2016, the palace announced that the queen had been discharged from the hospital and has returned to the Chitralada Royal Villa due to her recovery.{{cite web|url=http://www.matichon.co.th/news/377793|title=แถลงการณ์สำนักพระราชวัง "พระราชินี" พระอาการทั่วไปดีขึ้นมาก เสด็จกลับประทับพระตำหนักจิตรลดาฯ|date=2016-11-29|access-date=2016-11-29|location=Bangkok|language=th|publisher=Matichon|website=Matichon Online}}

Cultural status

Queen Sirikit's birthday, like the king's, is a national holiday, and is also Mothers' Day in Thailand. She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine.{{fact|date=November 2022}} Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst Thai Muslims.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} The queen has a strong bond with southern Thailand, and she formerly spent months in the Muslim-majority provinces every year. She is considered to be one of the more quiet diplomats.{{citation | first = Kylie | last = Morris | date = 16 November 2004 | contribution= Thai Queen's plea to end violence |publisher=BBC | title = News | place = UK | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4017485.stm | access-date =7 July 2008}}.

Books and writing

Image:Royal Flag of Queen Sirikit.svg, often flown in August (near her birthday and Mothers' Day).]]

Queen Sirikit published In Memory of my European Trip in 1964, which described her time in Europe with the king. She has also composed songs for performance by The Handsome Band, the band of the palace.

The songs she composed were:

Chao Chom Khwan (เจ้าจอมขวัญ)
That Thoe (ทาสเธอ)
Sai Yut (สายหยุด)
Nang Yaem (นางแย้ม)

Honours and awards

In 1976, the Thai government honoured the queen by declaring her birthday a national holiday. The Queen's birthday is celebrated on 12 August each year.Forbes, Andrew (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_lPeA06wHcC&pg=PA35 DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Thailand's Beaches & Islands], p. 35. Dorling Kindersley Limited.

=Volunteer Defence Corps of Thailand Rank=

Volunteer Defence Corps General{{Cite web | title=PDF|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2525/D/004/1.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627202418/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2525/D/004/1.PDF|archive-date=27 June 2018}}

=Foreign honours=

{{flag|Austria}}: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria{{cite web | url = http://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/VHG/XXIV/AB/AB_10542/imfname_251156.pdf | title = Reply to a parliamentary question | language = de | page=171 | access-date = 12 October 2012 }}
{{Flag|Belgium}}: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I
{{Flag|Brunei}}: Dame of the Order of Laila Utama
{{Flag|Denmark}}: Knight of the Order of the Elephant
{{Flagicon|Ethiopian Empire}} Ethiopian Imperial Family: Dame Grand Cordon with Collar of the Imperial Order of the Queen of Sheba
{{Flag|Germany}}: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
{{Flagicon|Kingdom of Greece}} Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Beneficence
{{Flag|Indonesia}}: Star of Mahaputera, 1st Class
{{Flagicon|Pahlavi dynasty}} Iranian Imperial Family: Dame Grand Cordon, Special Class of the Imperial Order of the Pleiades
{{flag|Italy}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic{{cite web | url = http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=32901| title = S.M. Sirikit Regina di Tailandia, Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana | language = it | access-date = 8 May 2013 }}
{{Flag|Japan}}: Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown
Laos
{{Flagicon|Kingdom of Laos}} Lao Royal Family: Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol
{{Flag|Laos}}: Medal of Phoxay Lane Xang
{{Flag|Luxembourg}}: Dame of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
{{Flag|Malaysia}}: Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of the Realm
{{Flag|Selangor}}: First Class of the Royal Family Order of Selangor
{{Flag|Terengganu}}: First Class of the Family Order of Terengganu
{{Flag|Kelantan}}: Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Kelantan
{{Flag|Kingdom of Nepal}}: Member Grand Cross of the Order of Honour
{{Flag|Netherlands}}: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands
{{Flag|Norway}}: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav
{{Flag|Philippines}}: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart
{{Flag|Portugal}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
{{Flag|Romania}}: Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania
{{flag|Spain}} :
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (13 November 1987){{cite web|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1987/11/17/pdfs/A34217-34217.pdf |title= Boletín Oficial del Estado |publisher=boe.es|access-date=6 September 2015}}
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (3 November 1960){{cite web|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1960/11/14/pdfs/A15729-15729.pdf |title=Boletín Oficial del Estado |publisher=boe.es|access-date=6 September 2015}}
{{Flag|Sweden}}: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Seraphim
{{flag|Taiwan}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Propitious Clouds (1963){{cite web|url=https://taiwantoday.tw/print.php?unit=4&post=7204|title=Two Ancient Lands Strengthen Their Ties|date=1 July 1963|access-date=13 April 2020|website=Taiwan Today|quote=President Chiang decorated King Bhumibol with the Special Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Jade and Queen Sirikit with the Special Grand Cordon of the Order of Propitious Clouds.}}

Styles and Symbols

{{Infobox manner of address

|royal name = {{ubl|Queen Sirikit|The Queen mother}}

|image = Standard of HM Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother of Thailand.svg

|size = 150px

|dipstyle = Her Majesty

|offstyle = Your Majesty

|background = #00B2EA

|color = #FFFFFF

}}

File:Royal Monogram of Queen Sirikit.svg

File:Royal Flag of Queen Sirikit.svg

Eponyms

Queen Sirikit is well known for her charitable work, where she is the honorary president of the Thai Red Cross, a post she has held since 1956. She gained new prominence in this role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. She has also been active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Myanmar in Thailand.

Many things in Thailand have been named after the Queen:

the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, children's hospital
the Queen Sirikit Medical Center building, Ramathibodi Hospital
the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer, a new 10-storey hospital in Bangkok
the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok
the Queen Sirikit Park in Bangkok
the Sirikit Dam on the Nan River, Uttaradit Province
the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Chiang Mai ProvinceRidout, Lucy (2009). [https://books.google.com/books?id=3gkBKBKSu-wC&pg=PA357 The Rough Guide to Thailand], p. 357. Penguin.
the Queen Sirikit Arboretum Garden, Pathum Thani Province
the Queen Sirikit Cup, an annual Asian-Pacific golfing event
the Queen Sirikit Crab (Thaiphusa sirikit)
the Queen Sirikit Rose
the Queen's Cup, annual football competition

The queen is also active in promoting Thai culture and history, mainly through her initiative in the making of the Thai movie The Legend of Suriyothai, one of the most lavish and expensive Thai movies ever made.{{citation |publisher=BBC | place = UK | title = News | date = 23 November 2001 | contribution = Thailand's Suriyothai beats Titanic | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1672246.stm | access-date =7 July 2008}}.

Genealogical table

{{chart top|Relationship with Bhumibol Adulyadej and Sirikit{{cite book |last1=Finestone |first1=Jeffrey |title=The Royal Family of Thailand: The Descendants of King Chulalongkorn |date=1989 |publisher=New Cavendish Books |isbn=978-09-04568-88-2}}}}

{{Tree chart|border=0| | Savang |~|y|~| Rama5 |~|y|~| Uam | | | |Savang=Savang Vadhana|Rama5=Chulalongkorn
(Rama V)|Uam=Uam Bisalayabutra}}

{{Tree chart|border=0| | | | | |!| | | | | Grandma |y| Kitiyakara | | |Grandma=Apsarasaman Devakula |Kitiyakara=Kitiyakara Voralaksana}}

{{Tree chart|border=0| Srinagarindra |y| Mahidol | | Bua |y| Nakkhatra |Srinagarindra=Srinagarindra|Mahidol=Mahidol Adulyadej|Bua=Bua Kitiyakara|Nakkhatra=Nakkhatra Mangala}}

{{Tree chart|border=0| | | Rama9 | | | | | | Sirikit | | | |Rama9=Bhumibol Adulyadej
(Rama IX)|Sirikit=Sirikit}}