| Queen Sirikit | |
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| Sirikit (center) chairs the 22nd Congress of the International Sericultural Commission held in Chiang Mai, 16 December 2011 | |
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| Tenure | 28 April 1950 – present 61 years, 297 days |
| Coronation | 5 May 1950 |
| Spouse | Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) (Since 28 April 1950) |
| Issue | |
| Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak |
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| House | House of Kitiyakara (by birth) House of Mahidol (by marriage) Chakri Dynasty |
| Father | HH Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala, the Prince of Chanthaburi II |
| Mother | Mom Luang Bua Sanidvongs |
| Born | 12 August 1932 Bangkok, Thailand |
| Signature | |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Queen Sirikit of Thailand (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ; Literally: "Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit"; ; born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara on 12 August 1932), is the queen consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King (Rama IX) of Thailand. She is the second Queen Regent of Thailand (the first Queen Regent was Queen Saovabha Bongsri of Siam, later Queen Sri Patcharindra, the queen mother). As the consort of the king who is the world's longest reigning head of state, she is also the world's longest serving consort of a monarch, though Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, more than eleven years her senior, is the oldest currently serving consort.
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Queen Sirikit was born on 12 August 1932, at the home of Lord Vongsanuprabhand, her maternal grandfather. She is the eldest daughter and the third child of Prince Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara, the son of Prince Kitiyakara Voralaksana, and Mom Luang Bua Sanidvongs. Her name, which was given by King Prajadhipok, means "the Greatness of Kitiyakara".
She had three siblings; two elder brothers and a younger sister:
Sirikit was raised by her maternal grandparents for a year after her birth, as her father went to United States to work as the secretary of the Siamese Royal Embassy at Washington D.C. Her mother joined her husband three months later. When she was one year old, her parents returned to Thailand. Sirikit lived together with her family in Deves Palace, near Chao Phraya River, Bangkok.
As a child, Sirikit often had outdoor visits with her paternal grandmother. Once in 1933, she traveled with Princess Absornsaman Devakula following King Prajadhipok's tour in Songkla.
| Royal Family of Thailand |
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HM The King
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At age 4, Sirikit attended the Kindergarten College at Rajini School (sometimes called the Queen’s College). She studied until her first year at the primary level. During that time the Pacific War was being fought; Bangkok was attacked many times, thus making travel unsafe. She then moved to Saint Francis Xavier Convent School, because it was near the palace. She studied at that school from her second year at the primary level to the secondary level.
In 1946, when the war ended, her father moved to the United Kingdom to work as the ambassador to the Court of St. James's, taking his family with him. At that time, Sirikit was 13 and had graduated the secondary level. While staying in England, she learned to play the piano and learned English and French. Because of her father's work as an ambassador, she and her family moved to various countries, including Denmark and France. While living in France, she studied at a music academy in Paris.
Also while in France, Sirikit met King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who at that time had ascended to the throne and had been studying at Switzerland. Both the king and Sirikit (as well as a few other students) were staying at the Thai Royal Embassy in Paris. Sirikit accompanied the king as he visited various tourist attractions. Both the king and Sirikit found much common ground on their likes and dislikes and thus began a relationship.
On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne road, he collided into the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. He hurt his back and incurred cuts on his face that cost him most of the sight in one eye.[1] He subsequently wore an ocular prosthetic. While he was hospitalised in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently. She met his mother, The Princess Mother Sangval, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that the king could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected for her a boarding school in Lausanne, Riante Rive. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949,[1] and the couple married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation.
The marriage took place at Srapathum Palace. Queen Sri Savarindira, the Queen Grandmother presided over the marriage ceremony. Both the king and Sirikit signed on line 11 of their certificate of marriage (ทะเบียนการสมรส.) As she was not yet 18, her parents also signed, on line 12 directly under her signature. Reproductions of the certificate are popular as souvenirs, and may be found by searching for its common name, "ใบสมรส สิริกิติ์". [1] She later received the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, and became queen. After the coronation ceremony on 5 May 1950, both went back to Switzerland to continue their studies, and returned to Bangkok in 1952.
When the king undertook a period of service as a Buddhist monk in 1956 (as is customary for all Thai Buddhist males), Queen Sirikit became regent.[2] She performed her duties so satisfactorily that she was made queen regent and given the style of "Somdej Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat" by her husband on his birthday, 5 December 1956. Upon this inception, she became the second Siamese queen regent. The first queen regent was Queen Saovabha Bongsri of Siam, who was regent when her husband King Chulalongkorn travelled to Europe, and later became Queen Sri Patcharindra, the queen mother.
The couple has 4 children; 3 daughters and a son:
Queen Sirikit's birthday, like the king's, is a national holiday, and is also Mothers' Day in the country. She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine. Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst the local Muslim populace. The queen has a strong bond with southern Thailand. She spends months in the Muslim-majority provinces every year. This role of the queen is considered to be as one of the more quiet diplomats.[3]
Queen Sirikit published the book In Memory of my European Trip in 1964, her memoirs describing her time in Europe with the king. It was this book that made the people realise that she was a talented writer. Moreover, she composed many songs for performing with The Handsome Band, the music band of the palace.
The songs she composed were:
Queen Sirikit is well known for her charitable work, where she is the honorary president of the Thai Red Cross, a post she has held since 1956. She gained new prominence in this role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. She has also been active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Burma in Thailand.
Many things in Thailand have been named after the Queen:
The queen is also active in promoting Thai culture and history, mainly because of her initiative in the making of the Thai movie The Legend of Suriyothai, one of the most lavish and expensive Thai movies ever made.[5]
| Year | Award | Awarder |
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| 1979 | CERES Gold Medal | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| 1985 | Humanitarian Award | Asia Society |
| 1986 | Best Conservationist Certificate | World Wildlife Fund |
| 1990 | Immigration and Refugee Policy Award | The Center of Migration Studies |
| 1991 | International Humanitarian Award | Friends of the National Children's Museum, Washington, DC |
| 1992 | Gold Medal for Outstanding Leadership | Asian Institute of Technology |
| 1992 | UNESCO Borobudur Gold Medal | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| 1992 | UNICEF Special Recognition Award | United Nations Children's Fund |
| 1992 | Award of Excellence | United Nations Development Fund for Women |
| 1992 | UNEP Gold Medal of Distinction | United Nations Environment Programme |
| 1993 | Woman of the Year 1993 Award | Stanford University |
| 1995 | 1995 Lindbergh Award | The Lindbergh Foundation |
| 2000 | Merite de Invention | The Belgian Chamber of Inventors |
| 2001 | Special Prix | Bulgarian American Chamber of Commercial and Industry |
| 2002 | Louis Pasteur Award | International Sericultural Commission |
| 2002 | Award for Humanitarian Service | The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2004 | IUCN Gold Medal | International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
| 2005 | Food Safety Award | World Health Organization |
| Monarchical styles of Queen Sirikit of Thailand |
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| Reference style | Her Royal Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Majesty |
| Alternative style | Madame |
Her formal name and title is Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ; "Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit"). However, her official title is just Queen Sirikit.
At present, the queen ranks as Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force, usually mentioned in official documents that: Chom Phon Ying Chom Phon Ruea Ying Chom Phon Akat Ying Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat (Thai: จอมพลหญิง จอมพลเรือหญิง จอมพลอากาศหญิง สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ; "Her Majesty Queen Regent Sirikit, the Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force"). The queen holds ceremonial supreme power, after her husband who ranks as the Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, among the Royal Thai Army.
In 1976, the Thai government honored the queen by declaring her birthday a national holiday. "Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday" is celebrated on 12 August each year.[6]
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Sirikit
Born: 12 August 1932 |
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| Preceded by Princess Rambhai Barni Svastivatana |
Queen Consort of Thailand 1951 – present |
Incumbent |
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