Princess Bajrakitiyabha has breathed her last.
In a heartbreaking statement shared by the royal household of Thailand on Friday, June 12, it was announced that the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn died at the age of 47 after nearly four years in a coma.
The Princess – who was a lawyer and the most visibly accomplished member of the Thai Royal Family – was hospitalized back in December 2022 at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, after collapsing due to a sudden loss of consciousness by a heart condition.
According to the Palace’s statement, Bajrakitiyabha passed away on Thursday evening, June 11, after her condition worsened due to an intra-abdominal infection, colitis, low blood pressure, arrhythmias, and blood clotting disorder.
"The medical team provided the closest and most intensive care possible, but her condition continued to decline progressively," they shared, adding that she was pronounced dead at 19:48 local time (12:48 GMT) the previous day in Chulalongkorn Hospital.
It was also shared, “His Majesty the King has issued a royal decree instructing the Royal Household to arrange the funeral with the highest honors according to royal tradition, and to place the body at the Phiman Rattaya Throne Hall in the Grand Palace.”
Born on December7, 1978, Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the daughter of King Vajiralongkorn and his first wife, Princess Soamsawali, and was the eldest of the monarch’s seven children.
She earned a Master’s degree and a Doctorate in law from Cornell University and worked as an attorney at Thailand’s Attorney-General’s Office from 2006 to 2011.
In Thailand, Bajrakitiyabha is remembered for her public service, work to support female prisoners, and diplomatic contributions, and was viewed by many analysts as a strong potential successor to the Thai throne.
