Ubolratana Rajakanya

Ubolratana Rajakanya
Princess of Thailand
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya in 2009
Spouse Peter Ladd Jensen (m. 1972, div. 1998)
Issue
Khun Ploypailin Jensen
Khun Bhumi Jensen
Khun Sirikitiya Jensen
House House of Mahidol
Chakri Dynasty
Father King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Mother Queen Sirikit
Born 5 April 1951 (1951-04-05) (age 60)
Lausanne, Switzerland
Religion Theravada Buddhism
Royal Family of Thailand

HM The King
HM The Queen



Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi (Thai: ทูลกระหม่อมหญิงอุบลรัตนราชกัญญา สิริวัฒนาพรรณวดี; RTGS: —Ubonrat Ratchakanya Siriwatthana Phannawadi; Literally: "Princess Ubonratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, daughter to the Queen Regent"), or Ubolratana in brief (born April 5, 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland), is a princess of Thailand and the eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Regent Sirikit. She relinquished her royal title and settled in the United States with her husband, Peter Ladd Jensen, but came back to Thailand after divorcing in 1998.

Since her return to Thailand, she has increasingly taken part in royal ceremonies, though not to the extent of her royal siblings. In 2008, she began a film career, playing the main role in the Thai film Where The Miracle Happens.

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Early life

Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya is the eldest daughter and the eldest child of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX of Thailand) and Queen Sirikit, the Queen Regent of Thailand. She was born on April 5, 1951, at Mont Suisse Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. She returned to Thailand and stayed at Ambhornsathan Throne Hall, Dusit Palace. She was styled Her Royal Highness by her father at the Royal Celebration of the first month birthday ceremony (Phra Ratchaphithi Somphot Duean Lae Khuen Phra U; พระราชพิธีสมโภชเดือนและขึ้นพระอู่) King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave her name and style Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Phannavadi. Her names are derived from several royal ancestors:

Moreover, she got her nickname, La Poupée, which means Doll. Her parents often called her Pée.

She has taken part in royal duties since she was very young.

In 4th SEA Games in 1967 in Bangkok, H.M. The King and Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya competed in the sport of sailing and won gold medals.

Education

Princess Ubol Ratana attended primary to secondary levels at Chitralada School. The Princess left Thailand to United States for her tertiary education. She studied Mathematics at MIT and Bachelor of Science Degree in Bio-Chemistry in 1973 later obtained a Master's Degree in public health at University of California at Los Angeles.

It was while at M.I.T. that she first met the man she would marry, Peter Ladd Jensen.

Marriage and family

On July 25, 1972, Princess Ubol Ratana relinquished her royal titles to marry Jensen, and then settled in the United States with her husband for over 26 years. Her husband, as a foreigner, did not receive any royal titles. After years of rumored marital problems, they divorced in 1998. Princess Ubol Ratana and her children lived in San Diego until 2001, when they relocated back to Thailand.

While living in the United States, Princess Ubol Ratana and Peter Ladd Jensen had three children: two daughters and a son, all born in the United States.

While Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Jensen remained in the U.S., her mother Queen Sirikit and other members of the Royal family often flew to the United States for visits. Ubol Ratana likewise flew to Thailand along with her husband to visit her parents and the other members of the Royal Family, while joining them and taking part in royal ceremonies with the Royal Family when she visited Thailand.

Visiting Thailand

While living in the United States, Princess Ubol Ratana came to Thailand to visit the Royal Family many times. The first time, in 1980, she visited her parents and the other members of the Royal Family. The second time, in 1982, she came to attend the Royal Wedding of her sister, Princess Chulabhorn Walailak and Royal Thai Air Force Flight Lieutenant Virayudh Didyasarin. The third time, in 1987, she joined the Royal Celebration of the King's 60th Birthday Anniversary, 5 December 1987. The fourth time, in 1992, she joined the Royal Celebration of the Queen's 60th Birthday Anniversary, 12 August 1992. The last time she visited was in 1996, joining and taking part in the Royal Funeral and Cremation of her grandmother, Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother. She did not return again until her divorce in 1998, at which time she and her children permanently relocated to Thailand in 2001. She was given the title Tunkramom Ying, which means that "Daughter to the Queen Regent"

Monarchical styles of
Princess Ubolratana of Thailand
Reference style Her Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style Ma'am

Royal title

Princess Ubol Ratana was born with the titles of Her Royal Highness and Princess Chao Fa, but gave these up on her marriage to an American citizen, Peter Ladd Jensen. Her title, Chao Fa was lost because she married a commoner. She had previously held the royal title Chao Fa Ubolratana Rajakunya. She still retains the style of Tunkramom Ying, which means that "Daughter to the Queen Regent". Since her return to Thailand, she has increasingly taken part in royal ceremonies, though not to the extent of her royal siblings.

Film career

Princess Ubol Ratana acted in the Thai movie "Where The Miracle Happens" (หนึ่งใจ..เดียวกัน), released in August 2008. She plays the drama's main role of a lonely-at-the-top woman CEO who begins a life of philanthropy after the death of her only daughter.[3] On October 2010, She plays the Movie is My Best Bodyguard (มายเบสต์บอดีการ์ด) In real life the princess lost her only son in the 26 December 2004 tsunami that swept Thailand and other countries in the region.

Ancestry

References