Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitabiyha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has died after spending three years in a coma. She was 47. The announcement came from the Thai royal palace on Tuesday morning, triggering an outpouring of sorrow across the nation and a formal expression of sympathy from the British royal family.
The princess suffered a severe cardiac event in December 2021 while training her dogs at a palace compound in Bangkok. Despite being rushed to hospital, she never regained consciousness. Her death marks the end of a prolonged period of national anxiety, during which her father visited her bedside frequently and public prayers were held at temples nationwide.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “deeply saddened” by the news and recalled the princess’s visits to the United Kingdom, where she studied law at Warwick University and later held a PhD. “Her dedication to public service and her grace will be remembered,” the statement read.
Princess Bajrakitabiyha was the first child of the king from his first marriage to his cousin, Princess Soamsawali. She was a trained lawyer and had served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria and the United Nations. Her death leaves a gap in the line of succession: she was second in line to the throne after her younger brother, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, who is 19.
At home, her loss is felt acutely. The princess was a popular figure, often photographed in military uniform or attending charity events. Her rehabilitation from the coma was followed closely, with bulletins issued every few months. The official announcement of her passing was met with a nationwide broadcast of sombre classical music on television and radio. Flags will fly at half-mast for 30 days.
The Thai government has declared a period of official mourning, with all public entertainment events cancelled for a month. The king, who has been in Germany for much of the past year, is expected to return to Bangkok for the funeral rites, which will be held at the Grand Palace.
The British royal family’s message of condolence is not merely a diplomatic courtesy. The princess had developed personal ties with the Windsors during her time in London. She attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011 and was photographed with the Queen at a state banquet during the Thai king’s visit to London in 1996.
For the people of Thailand, the princess’s death is a reminder of the fragility of life and the uncertainty that hangs over the monarchy. Her coma had already silenced the succession question, but her passing brings it back into focus. Prince Dipangkorn is now the sole male heir, raising questions about the family’s long-term stability.
In the hours since the announcement, flowers have piled up at the gates of the Grand Palace. Ordinary Thais, many dressed in pink – the colour associated with the princess – have gathered to pay their respects. The national mood is one of quiet grief, tempered by a sense of duty. The princess once said that her life was a story of service. Tonight, that story has come to an end.
