The Thai royal palace has confirmed the death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, who had been in a coma since December 2022 following a collapse at a military training event. She was 44. The princess, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, suffered a cardiac arrest during a dog training exercise and never regained consciousness.
The palace statement, issued late Tuesday, did not specify a cause of death but expressed the royal family's profound grief. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was a prominent figure in Thai society, known for her work in legal reform and her role as a diplomat. Her passing raises questions about the succession, as she was seen as a stabilizing presence in the monarchy.
The kingdom now looks to its constitutional mechanisms to determine the heir apparent, with the king's younger son, Prince Vajiralongkorn, next in line. The official mourning period and funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
