Buddhist funeral rites for Princess Bajrakitiyabha performed

King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida attended the Buddhist funeral rites for Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

They were joined by Princess Sirivannavari, Prince Dipangkorn, the Princess’s half-siblings, and Sineenatha Bilaskalayani, the King’s royal noble consort.

The funeral rites took place at the Phiman Rattaya Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, where Princess Bajrakitiyabha is lying in state.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha died last week after years in a coma on life support, and a recent “severe” and “uncontrolled” infection that spread through her body only worsened her condition.

The Princess suffered a heart attack on 14 December 2022 while running with her dogs in Khao Yai National Park, northeast of Bangkok. She was said to be training her dogs for the Thailand Working Dog Championship 2022, which was being organised by the Royal Thai Army.

Despite attempts at CPR for over an hour, the royal was unable to regain consciousness, according to reporter Andrew MacGregor Marshall. An official statement from the Royal Household Bureau later confirmed that she had not regained consciousness.

This is the second death in the Thai Royal Family in seven months. Queen Sirkit, the Queen Mother, died in October 2025 at the age of 93.

The Princess’s death leads to questions in Thailand, as she was seen by many as the unnamed heir to the Thai throne. The King has yet to announce his successor, but rumours have persisted for years since his accession that he would name his eldest daughter as the heir.