Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother - Queen of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great
- is the eldest daughter of General His Highness Prince Chandaburi Suranath and his consort Mom
Luang Bua Kitiyakara. Her Majesty Queen Rambhai Barni - Queen of His Majesty King Prajadhipok
bestowed the name "Sirikit" which means "The Glory of Kitiyakara" She was bom on Friday, 12th August
E. 2475 (1932] at the home of General Chao Phraya Wongsanuprabaddha [Mom Rajawongse Sadarn
Snidvongs], father of Mom Luang Bua, situated at 1808, Rama VI Road, Wang Mai Sub-district, Pathum
Wan District, Phra Nakhon Province [Bangkok]. She was born during a time of transition passing from the
system of absolute monarchy to that of constitutional monarchy. Previous to the change, her father
held the position of Assistant Chief of Staff, Royal Thai Army, with the rank and title of Colonel Mom
Chao Nakkhat Mongkol Kitiyakara.
After the change of governmental system of 24th June, B.E. 2475 [1932], Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol left
his military career and was appointed First Secretary at the Thai Legation in Washington D.C. while Mom
Luang Bua who was far into her pregnancy bearing Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, remained in Thailand until
she gave birth. Subsequently, Mom Luang Bua went to the United States to be with Mom Chao Nakkhat
Mongkol while the new-born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit stayed behind in Thailand in the care of Chao
Phraya Wongsanuprabaddha and Thao Vanidapijarini, father and mother of Mom Luang Bua.
Because of the unsettled political situation, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit,
living away from her parents during her early childhood, found herself having
to move around from place to place with her grandparents, sometimes to
the outer provinces. An instance of this was in B.E. 2476 (1933), when Mom
Chao Absaraman Kitiyakara, mother of Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol, took along her granddaughter, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, with her while
accompanying His Majesty King Prajadhipok during a visit to Songkhla.
In late B.E. 2477 (1934), Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol resigned from
the government service and came home to Thailand with his family, Mom
Luang Bua, Mom Rajawongse Kalyanakiti, his eldest son, and Mom
Rajawongse Bushba, his youngest daughter who was born in the United
States. On their return, the couple were rejoined with their other two
children, Mom Rajawongse Adulyakiti, the second son, and Mom Rajawongse
Sirikit settling into their residence on Krung Kasem Road, on the bank of the
Chao Phraya river.
Mom Rajawongse Sirikit began her education in kindergarten at
Rajini School in B.E. 2479 (1936). As the Greater East Asia War began to
extend its reach to Thailand, Phra Nakorn Province often came under attack
by air raids making travelling to school fraught with danger. Hence, in B.E.
2483 (1940), she was moved to St. Francis Xavier Convent School nearer to
home for her primary and secondary schooling. She could now walk to
school. And it was here that she started piano lessons, developed her
talents and formed a resolve to pursue a future career as a pianist.
Mom Rajawongse Sirikit, in common with other Thai people of her
time, shared the experience of deprivations and hardships brought on by
the war. Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol, a soldier to the core, instilled the
values of discipline, patience, courage, thoughtfulness and sacrifice in his
sons and daughters using the war situation as testing ground. The World War
brought to the fore the innate virtues of the Thai people in caring for one
another and in always extending a helping hand in times of dificulty. These
experiences gave strength to Mom Rajawongse Sirikit's kindness and sense
of discipline instilled since her early years.
After the end of the War, Major Kuang Abhayavongsa, Prime Minister
at the time, appointed Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol as Thai Minister to the United Kingdom. Thus, in mid-year of B.E. 2489 (1946), Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol took his
family to the United Kingdom as Mom Rajawongse Sirikit had then completed
her third year of secondary level at St. Francis Xavier Convent School.
During her time in the United Kingdom, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit
took piano lessons and studied English and French with private tutors. In
B.E. 2490 (1947), Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol was assigned as Thai Minister
to France and to Denmark before being reassigned to the United Kingdom,
this time as Ambassador. Mom Rajawongse Sirikit continued her piano studies
with greater zeal to prepare for her entrance examination into the renowned
Conservatoire of Paris.
In B.E. 2491 (1948), Mom Chao Nakkhat Mongkol and his family,
while stationed in Paris, had the occasion to receive a royal visitor, the
future His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who took an interest in
frequently visiting an automobile manufacturing facility in Paris. His Majesty
thus became better acquainted with Mom Rajawongse Sirikit. When His
Majesty later met with a serious car accident in Switzerland which required
hospitalization, he granted permission to Mom Luang Bua, accompanied by
her two daughters - Mom Rajawongse Sirikit and Mom Rajawongse Bushba,
to come and visit up until His Majesty made a recovery and was discharged
from hospital. Her Royal Hishness Princess Srinagarindra the Princess
Mother then asked Mom Rajawongse Sirikit to come to Lausanne to
continue her studies at Riante Rive, a boarding school well known for the
education of young ladies in the arts, music, languages and literature, and
history.
A year later, His Majesty granted an audience to Mom Chao Nakkhat
Mongkol and his family. On that occasion, Her Royal Highness Princess
Srinagarindra the Princess Mother, broached with Mom Chao Nakkhat
Mongkol the proposal of marriage between His Majesty and Mom Rajawongse
Sirikit. The royal couple then had a private engagement ceremony on 19th
July, B.E. 2492 (1949), with the engagement ring that His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla, His Majesty's father, presented to Her Royal
Highness Princess Srinagarindra the Princess Mother. After the engagement,
Mom Rajawongse Sirikit continued with her study until the time when she
accompanied His Majesty on a journey back to Thailand to attend the Royal
Cremation Ceremony of His Majesty King Ananda Mahidol in March, B.E.
2493 (1950).
On 28th April, B.E. 2493 (1950), Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira the Queen
Grandmother, presided over the Royal Wedding Ceremony of His Majesty
King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Mom Rajawongse Sirikit at Srapathum Palace.
His Majesty and Mom Rajawongse Sirikit then put their signatures to the
Certificate of Marriage and His Majesty, on the same day, anointed Mom
Rajawongse Sirikit "Queen Sirikit" On the occasion of the Coronation
Ceremony, held on 5th May, B.E. 2493 (1950), His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej graciously conferred on Queen Sirikit the official royal title of Her
Majesty Queen Sirikit.
On 5th June, B.E. 2493 (1950), Their Majesties the King and Queen
departed once again for Switzerland where His Majesty resumed his medical
treatment on the advice of his personal physician. Their Majesties have four
children. In B.E. 2494 (1951), Her Majesty the Queen gave birth to Princess
Ubol Ratana in Lausanne, Switzerland and when the Princess was 7 months
old, the family returned to Thailand and stayed at Amphorn Royal Palace.
His Royal Highness Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (now His Majesty King Maha
Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua), Her Royal Highness Princess Maha
Chakri Sirindhorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn (now Her
Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana) were all
born at Amphorn Royal Palace.
After the demise of Her Majesty Queen Srisavarindira the Queen
Grandmother who held the Presidency of the Thai Red Cross Society, in late
B.E. 2498 (1955), His Majesty the King appointed Her Majesty the Queen to
succeed to the Presidency on 12th August, B.E. 2499 (1956). In the same year when His Majesty the King was ordained into monkhood, fulfilling a vital
Thai tradition, Her Majesty the Queen was appointed to serve as Regent.
When the regency was bestowed upon Her Majesty the Queen, she became
"Somdet Phra Nangchao Sirikit Phra Borom Rajininat" after her tenure. Her
Majesty Queen Sirikit thus became one of the only two Queens Regent in
all the history of Thailand. The first was Her Majesty Queen Sri Bajarindra of
His Majesty King Chulalongkorn who went on a tour of state visits to European
countries and appointed Her Majesty Queen Sri Bajarindra to serve as Regent
during his absence.
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Monther, as Queen of Thailand,
devoted herself entirely to the task of serving and supporting His Majesty
King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great in the performance of His royal duties
on a broad range of issues. She also initiated the royal projects to improve
the welfare and livelihood of the Thai People which are still of great
benefits for the country to this very day.