Sirikit, who was married at 17 to Bhumibol, ‘suffered from several illnesses’ since 2019, including a blood infection this month
Queen Emeritus Sirikit, mother of the current king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, and wife of the monarch who held the throne for the longest time in the Asian country, died this Friday (24), aged 93, the Royal Palace reported. Nicknamed in her youth the “Jackie Kennedy of Asia”, Sirikit formed with Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years until his death in 2016, a couple symbol of elegance and influence, whose popularity helped consolidate the central role of the monarchy in the heart of Thai society.
“Her Majesty’s health condition worsened until this Friday, and she passed away at 9:2 pm at Chulalongkorn Hospital, aged 93,” the palace said, adding that King Vajiralongkorn ordered all members of the royal family to observe one year of mourning.
Sirikit, who was married at 17 to Bhumibol, had “suffered from several illnesses” since 2019, including a blood infection this month, the statement added. His death marks the beginning of a period of national commotion and tributes across the country.
The king of Thailand is considered by many to be the “father of the nation” and a symbol of the Buddhist ideal. The almost religious fervor that surrounds this semi-divine figure and, by extension, his family has few parallels in the modern world. The country observed a year of official mourning for Bhumibol’s death in October 2016, and his cremation took place a year later in an elaborate ceremony.
Since Saturday morning (25), news presenters wore black, a sign that the period of mourning for Sirikit had also begun for the public.
Fragile since suffering a stroke, Sirikit had not appeared in public for years. Even so, his portrait framed in gold remains present in public buildings, inside stores and in many homes. The queen’s birthday, on August 12, coincides with Mother’s Day in Thailand.
In the 1960s, Sirikit met American presidents and celebrities such as , in addition to appearing several times on the covers of Western magazines.
*With information from AFP
Published by Nátaly Tenório
