Inside Princess Anne's special meeting with senior Thai royal during state visit

Princess Anne had a crucial discussion with a senior member of the Thai royal family during her visit to the country with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.

During her official first trip to the Thai state in nearly 40 years, one meeting of the Princess Royal that went unnoticed was the key meeting with Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand.

The two royals held an audience at Chulalongkorn University to highlight Women in STEM and distributed certificates to women who have distinguished themselves in the field of STEM.

Her Royal Highness received a warm welcome, as Thailand’s princess shows affection to King Charles III's younger sister, while many believers assumed the two royals share a close bond.

The private audience session saw Anne, 75, and Sirindhorn, 71, exchange gifts, including books about Windsor Castle as well as an apparent Thai silk scarf.

Interesting fact about Princess Anne and Princess Sirindhorn

Notably, the interesting fact about the two royals is their similar titles: Anne, the Princess of Wales, also holds the title of The Princess Royal, while Sirindhorn is also known as the Princess Royal.

In the United Kingdom, the title was first used around four hundred years ago, in the 1640s, when Queen Henrietta Maria, wife and consort of King Charles I, persuaded her husband to create the title of Princess Royal for their eldest daughter, Princess Mary, in the way the King of France styled his eldest daughter Madame Royal.

Over the years, in the United Kingdom, there have been seven Princesses Royal, including Princess Anne, who was granted the title in 1987.

However, in Thailand, the title was first used for Princess Sirindhorn herself. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), on the occasion of his 50th birthday in 1977, conferred the titles of 'Somdej Phra,' the highest rank of Thai Princes and Princesses, as well as 'Maha Chakri,' meaning 'The Great Chakri,' on Princess Sirindhorn of the Chakri Dynasty.