It is with sadness and reverence that we mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. The woman who will be fondly remembered in Thailand as the ‘Mother of the Nation’ departed this life at the age of 93 on 24 October 2025 at Bangkok’s King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.
Family life
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother was born in Bangkok as Mom Rajawongse (M.R.) Sirikit Kitiyakara on 12 August 1932. Born on a Friday, her birth colour in Thai tradition is blue.
After the Second World War, her father was appointed the Ambassador to Great Britain, and then Denmark and France. M.R. Sirikit accompanied her family in Europe, took piano lessons, and studied art, languages, history, and literature.
It was in France where she met her future husband, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In October 1948, King Bhumibol had a serious car accident and was hospitalised in Lausanne, Switzerland. At the request of the King’s family, M.R. Sirikit stayed on to help nurse the King back to health while continuing her studies in Lausanne. The couple were engaged in 1949 and married on 28 April 1950, a week before HM King Bhumibol was crowned in Bangkok.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother had four royal children:
- Princess Ubol Ratana, born in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 5 April 1951.
- His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, born at Ambara Villa, Dusit Palace, Bangkok on 28 July 1952
- Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born at Ambara Villa, Dusit Palace, Bangkok on 2 April 1955.
- Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana, born at Ambara Villa, Dusit Palace, Bangkok on 4 July 1957.
A life of duty, compassion and national service
Queen Sirikit was married to Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), for more than six decades. From the earliest days of her marriage, Queen Sirikit accompanied King Bhumibol on his tireless tours of Thailand’s most remote corners. The royal couple brought attention and support to the lives of rural Thai people. It was through these journeys that Queen Sirikit quietly bore witness to hardship and transformation, and she emerged as a trusted symbol of compassion and maternal guardianship. 
Her royal patronage extended into many fields. Queen Sirikit championed the revival of the Thai silk industry, supported traditional crafts through founding the SUPPORT Foundation, and lent her voice to environmental conservation and public-health efforts. These initiatives, while carried out with modesty, left enduring marks on Thai cultural identity and rural livelihoods. 
Mother of the Nation
The royal couple were fondly regarded as the ‘Mother and Father of the Nation’. So much so that the birthday of Queen Sirikit, 12 August, is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand. The birthday of her husband, 5 December, is Father’s Day.
Queen Sirikit leaves behind a legacy built on devotion. Devotion to her family, to her people, to the cultural and environmental heritage of Thailand. For millions of Thais, she was more than royalty; she was a reassuring presence whose quiet strength offered solace through times of change.
Her influence will live on in the weaving traditions she helped preserve, in the rural communities empowered to shape their own futures, and in the national consciousness that honours kindness, duty and unity. She is survived by her four children, including His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and by a nation whose hearts she held gently yet firmly.
As Thailand bids farewell to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, we remember her life with profound respect and gratitude. May her memory inspire generations of Thais and visitors alike to live with compassion, respect and honour.
Acknowledgements: Government Public Relations Department
