The body of Princess Bajrakitiyabha was taken to lie in state at the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Saturday [1, 2].
As the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the princess held a significant position within the Thai monarchy. Her death follows a prolonged period of illness that kept her out of public life for years.
The royal procession traveled a route of 10 kilometers [5] from Chulalongkorn Hospital to the Grand Palace. Crowds gathered along the streets to witness the movement of the royal casket, a scene that drew thousands of mourners according to some reports [1], while others described the gathering as hundreds of black-clad citizens [3].
Princess Bajrakitiyabha was 47 years old [4]. She died after spending more than three years in a coma [6], a condition caused by an abdominal infection [6].
The event marks the beginning of the formal mourning period for the princess. The procession through the capital served as a public farewell for the royal member whose health had been a subject of official updates and public concern since she first fell ill.
“The body of Princess Bajrakitiyabha was taken to lie in state at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.”
The death of Princess Bajrakitiyabha concludes a years-long period of uncertainty regarding the health of a high-ranking member of the Thai royal family. Because she is the eldest daughter of the King, her passing removes a prominent figure from the line of succession and represents a moment of national mourning in a country where the monarchy is central to national identity.
