Princess Suddhanarinatha, first wife of King Vajiralongkorn

Princess Soamsawali, the Princess Suddhanarinatha (Thai: โสมสวลี, RTGS::Somsawali, pronounced ), born Mom Luang Soamsawali Kitiyakara (Thai: โสมสวลี กิติยากร; RTGS::Somsawali Kitiyakon; on 13 July 1957), is a member of the Thai royal family, and is the former wife of her first cousin King Vajiralongkorn. She was *led "the Princess Mother of the King's First Grandchild" after her divorce with the then crown prince in 1991. She is also a niece of Queen Sirikit.

Contents

• 1 Biography
• 2 Personal life
• 3 Accomplishments
• 4 Honours
  • 4.1 National
  • 4.2 Foreign decorations
• 5 References
• 6 External links

Biography

Princess Soamsawali was born on 13 July 1957 at Guy's Hospital in London, United Kingdom. She is the eldest child of Mom Rajawongse Adulyakit Kitiyakara. Her father was an elder brother of Queen Sirikit and her mother is Thanpuying Bandhu Savali Kitiyakara (born Princess Bandhu Savali Yugala). She has one younger sister, Mom Luang Sarali Kitiyakara, born 8 April 1966.

Her father was the second child of Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara, the Prince of Chanthaburi II and Mom Luang Bua Snidvongs. Her mother was the daughter of Prince Bhanubandhu Yugala and Mom Luang Soiraya Snidvongs.

She first attended the primary level at Chitralada School, then moved to Chiang Mai with her father when he was a judge at the Chiang Mai Court. She moved to study at Regina Coeli College, the all-girls academy in Chiang Mai in 1967.

Personal life

On 3 January 1977, at the age of 19, she married her first cousin, Maha Vajiralongkorn, the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. After their marriage, her official *le became Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali, Royal Consort of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand (Thai: พระเจ้าวรวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าโสมสวลี พระวรชายาในสมเด็จพระบรมโอรสาธิราชฯ สยามมกุฎราชกุมาร). The couple had one daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha of Thailand, born on 7 December 1978. The marriage ended in divorce in 1991.

After her divorce from the crown prince, the king, by royal proclamation, gave her a new *le on 12 August 1991. Her official full *le became Phra Worarachathinatdamat (Thai: พระวรราชาทินัดดามาตุ), meaning the mother of the king's first grandchild (translated into English as The Princess Mother of the King's First Grandchild). She thus retained her *le as princess and remains a member of the Thai royal family.

Princess Soamsawali has an adopted daughter, Siraphatchara Sophatcharamani or Bai Phlu.

Accomplishments

Princess Soamsawali with Poland's first lady Maria Kaczyńska in 2007

Since her divorce, Princess Soamsawali has performed many functions on behalf of the royal household. She has shown keen interest in public health and social welfare. The following Thai Red Cross Society programs are under her patronage:

• The "Reducing AIDS Infection from Mother to New-Born Baby" Programme.
• Medical Funding for AIDS patients.
• Funding for Reducing AIDS infection from Mother to the New-Born Baby.
• Milk funds for infants under the "Reduce AIDS effects from Mother to the New-Born Baby" Program.
• The Foundation of Professor Dr. Mom Rajawongse Galyanakit Kitiyakara.
• The Program of Life Giving to the Parents of AIDS-infected Babies.
• Funds for Cancer Treatment in Children
• The Princess Pa Foundation

Honours

Royal cypher Flags of Princess Soamsawali

National

• :Thailand:
  • Dame of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
  • Dame of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems
  • Dame Grand Cross (First Cl*) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
  • Dame Grand Cordon (Special Cl*) of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
  • Dame Grand Cordon (Special Cl*) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
  • Dame Grand Cross (First Cl*) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
  • The Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati (Special Cl*) - Boy Scout Citation Medal
  • King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (First Cl*)
  • King Rama X Royal Cypher Medal (First Cl*)
  • Commemorative Medal on the Occasion of the Coronation of H.M. King Rama X

Foreign decorations

• :West Germany:
  • Grand Cross 1st Cl* of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1984)
• Nepal:
  • Member of the Most Glorious Order of the Benevolent Ruler (12 December 1984).
• :Spain:
  • Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (13 November 1987).
• :*an:
  • Member First Cl* of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (26 September 1991).
• :Netherlands:
  • Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-N*au (19 January 2004).

References

External links

• Princess Soamsavali Kitiyakara
• Princess Foundation
• Wanjai