Thailand’s crown prince has divorced
his wife, in a dramatic fall from grace
for a senior princess at a time of
heightened anxiety over the health of
the country’s revered but ailing
monarch.
A statement published by the palace in
the early hours of Saturday in the
Royal Gazette said Princess Srirasmi
had relinquished her royal status, a
move that ends her 13-year marriage
to Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The rare public airing of palace
intrigue comes after a string of the
princess’ relatives were arrested in a
high-profile corruption scandal that
has sent shockwaves through
Thailand’s elite.
“The king has granted permission to
announce that Princess Srirasmi, the
wife of Crown Prince Maha
Vajiralongkorn, has informed in a
written document that she has
resigned from her royal status,” the
palace said in a short statement,
signalling an end to the marriage.
Analysts said the 62-year-old crown
prince’s split from his wife will
deepen fears for the monarchy’s
future as Thailand’s 87-year-old King
Bhumibol Adulyadej enters the twilight
of his reign.
In May, Thailand’s military seized
power after months of violent street
protests saying it needed to do so to
protect the monarchy and restore
order to the politically divided nation.
The king — the world’s longest-
serving monarch, who is revered by
many Thais as a semi-divine figure —
has been largely confined to hospital
this year and pulled out of plans to
hold a public audience earlier this
month during his birthday
celebrations.
Srirasmi married the crown prince in
2001 and had been expected to
become queen. The couple have a
nine-year-old son who was thought to
be Prince Vajiralongkorn’s most likely
heir.
“This announcement will add a greater
sense of uncertainty and anxiety
among Thais over the future of their
monarchy — not just with the current
generation, but with later generations
too,” Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai
expert at Japan’s Kyoto University,
told AFP.
his wife, in a dramatic fall from grace
for a senior princess at a time of
heightened anxiety over the health of
the country’s revered but ailing
monarch.
A statement published by the palace in
the early hours of Saturday in the
Royal Gazette said Princess Srirasmi
had relinquished her royal status, a
move that ends her 13-year marriage
to Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The rare public airing of palace
intrigue comes after a string of the
princess’ relatives were arrested in a
high-profile corruption scandal that
has sent shockwaves through
Thailand’s elite.
“The king has granted permission to
announce that Princess Srirasmi, the
wife of Crown Prince Maha
Vajiralongkorn, has informed in a
written document that she has
resigned from her royal status,” the
palace said in a short statement,
signalling an end to the marriage.
Analysts said the 62-year-old crown
prince’s split from his wife will
deepen fears for the monarchy’s
future as Thailand’s 87-year-old King
Bhumibol Adulyadej enters the twilight
of his reign.
In May, Thailand’s military seized
power after months of violent street
protests saying it needed to do so to
protect the monarchy and restore
order to the politically divided nation.
The king — the world’s longest-
serving monarch, who is revered by
many Thais as a semi-divine figure —
has been largely confined to hospital
this year and pulled out of plans to
hold a public audience earlier this
month during his birthday
celebrations.
Srirasmi married the crown prince in
2001 and had been expected to
become queen. The couple have a
nine-year-old son who was thought to
be Prince Vajiralongkorn’s most likely
heir.
“This announcement will add a greater
sense of uncertainty and anxiety
among Thais over the future of their
monarchy — not just with the current
generation, but with later generations
too,” Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai
expert at Japan’s Kyoto University,
told AFP.
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