Former Queen Sirikit of Thailand, mother of the current King Maha Vajiralongkorn and wife of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away late Friday at the age of 93, the royal palace announced.
The royal family holds a sacred status in Thailand, where they are deeply revered and portrayed in a positive light by the media. Portraits of the royals, often gilded in gold, adorn both public and private spaces throughout the country.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called her death “a great loss for the nation” and postponed his planned trip to a Southeast Asian leaders’ summit in Malaysia.
During her 66-year marriage to King Bhumibol — Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch — Queen Sirikit gained fame as both a fashion icon and the “mother of the nation.” Western media often compared her to Jacqueline Kennedy, featuring her on magazine covers throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
“I knew this day would come,” said 53-year-old Bangkok resident Sasis Putthasit. “She was a motherly figure for our country. Now that she’s gone, I feel deep sadness.”
According to the palace, Queen Sirikit had been hospitalized since 2019, suffering from multiple illnesses, including a recent blood infection. Her condition worsened on Friday before she passed away at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
King Vajiralongkorn has declared a year-long mourning period for members of the royal family.
Analyst and former Thai diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun told AFP that her passing “marks a deeply significant moment for the Thai monarchy and the entire nation,” noting her enduring popularity and symbolic bond with the late King Bhumibol.
Although the monarchy remains highly respected, the royal institution has faced unprecedented public criticism since the 2020 pro-democracy protests, when thousands of young demonstrators called for political reform, including limits on royal power.
Queen Sirikit drew public attention in 2008 when she attended the funeral of a royalist protester, a rare moment of visible engagement in political affairs.
When King Bhumibol died in 2016, Thailand entered a one-year national mourning period marked by lowered flags, bans on celebrations, and public displays of grief.
The palace announced that Queen Sirikit’s body will lie in state at the Dusit Thorne Palace in Bangkok, where mourners will be able to pay their final respects.
