Royal Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit
Chaisak Chaiboon : Artist
Queen Sirikit is regarded as mother to all Thai people, thus her birthday is also celebrated as Mother’s Day and observed as a Thai national holiday.
The Early Years
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit is the daughter of H.H. Prince Chandaburi Suranath (M.C. Nakkhat Mongkol Kitiyakara) and his consort Mom Luang Bua Kitiyakara (nee Mom Luang Bua Snidvongs). Prince Chandaburi Suranath was the third son of H.R.H. Prince Chandaburi Suranath and H.S.H. Princess Absarasman Kitiyakara.
She was born on August 12, 1932. The year 1932 is a significant one: it was the year when constitutional monarchy was introduced into Thailand. Her father was a prominent and capable Major-General in the Thai Army at the time of the constitutional change. He left the army and went to serve as First Secretary at the Thai Legation in Washington D.C. As HM the Queen was then still a little child, she remained in Bangkok in the charge of her relatives. She did not see her parents again until their return home.
She attended the Kindergarten class at Rajini School. But subsequently went to St. Francis Xavier School at Samsen District in Bangkok in order to be nearer to home. Her father later on became Thai Minister to France, to Denmark and ultimately Ambassador to the Court of St. James. Her Majesty accompanied him and continued her general education in the three countries and lastly in Switzerland.
It was while her father was stationed in Paris that she first met His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was then studying in Switzerland but went now and then to Paris. The chance meeting in Paris ripened into friendship and understanding. When His Majesty met with a serious motor car accident in Geneva, Switzerland and had to stay in a hospital at Lausanne, Her Majesty was a frequent visitor. When His Majesty was well again and left the hospital, He was graciously pleased to arrange for Her Majesty to continue her studies at “Riante Rive”, a boarding school in Lausanne.
Her Majesty has always been very devoted to Her children. Her Majesty has always been very devoted to Her children.
On July 19, 1949 Their Majesties were quietly engaged in Lausanne. On March 24, 1950, Their Majesties landed in Bangkok by ship after a long absence. On April 28 of the same year, the Royal Wedding took place at Padumawan Palace before the Queen Grandmother. As a democratic King and Queen, Their Majesties signed their names in the Registry Book of Marriages. Prince Chandaburi Suranath also appended his signature in the book to show that he permitted his daughter, who was then under age and required her father’s consent to the marriage, to go through the ceremony of marriage. His Majesty then crowned HM the Queen in conformity with Thai tradition.
Their Majesties have four children, namely: Princess Ubolratana, born on April 5, 1951, His Royal Highness Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born on July 28, 1952, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born on April 2, 1955 and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, born on July 4, 1957.
Their Majesties took great care in the education of their children in order to prepare them to meet the various duties which they had to undertake in later life. A choice had to be made between private tutoring and sending the children to an ordinary school. Private tutoring is a good medium for imparting knowledge, but it lacks human contact with children of similar ages. Attendance at an ordinary school also has its drawbacks. From experience, it would appear that teachers, pupils and even parents are subjected to biases either favorable or unfavorable. In order to avoid these inconveniences, His Majesty, with the entire concurrence of Her Majesty, set up a school in the compound of Chitralada Villa. Better control and supervision could thus be assured. The school was established and registered in accordance with the law in November 1958. There were about 78 children in the school. The classmates of the Royal children were sons and daughters of ordinary people of various vocations. In the year 2007 the number of Chitralada School children increased to 1,822 with 285 regular teachers and several part-time teachers.
Her Majesty has always been very devoted to Her children. During their younger days, she used to spend as much time with them as Her duties would allow, and kept close supervision on all their activities. When Her Majesty was in the United States of America during the State Visit with His Majesty in 1960, a TV representative asked Her what Her favorite hobby was. The reply was: “Looking after my children!”
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