Thailand’s former queen, Sirikit, has died at the age of 93, the royal palace announced late Friday.
Sirikit, mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and widow of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Hospital after battling multiple health issues since 2019, including a recent blood infection, the palace said in a statement.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described her death as “a great loss to the nation” and said he would postpone his trip to a Southeast Asian summit in Malaysia to join in national mourning.
Regarded as both a style icon and a nurturing national figure during her 66-year marriage to King Bhumibol, Sirikit’s grace and charity work made her one of Thailand’s most admired royals.
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“I feel sad because she was a mother figure to the country, and now she’s gone,” said Bangkok resident Sasis Putthasit, 53, speaking to AFP.
Following the announcement, Thai broadcasters appeared on air in black clothing, while the palace declared a year-long mourning period for the royal family.
“Her passing marks a profoundly significant event for the Thai Royal Family and the entire nation,” Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former Thai diplomat and academic, told AFP.