Queen Sirikit’s Fringe Tiara is one of the gems in the Thai royal collection.
The tiara was reportedly first owned by Queen Saovabha Phongsri, who was the half-sister and wife of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). It is in the traditional Russian Kokoshnik style. After her death, it was worn by her daughter-in-law, Queen Rambai Barni, the wife of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII). She wore it on the forehead as was the fashion of the time.
Queen Rambai Barni wearing the tiara (public domain)
The tiara was also worn by the daughter of her husband’s brother and predecessor as King, Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda. The tiara passed to the next Queen of Thailand, Queen Sirikit, the wife of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). She also wore it as a necklace.
Joop van Bilsen / Anefo – CC0
The current Queen of Thailand, Queen Suthida, made her first tiara appearance in the Fringe Tiara during the celebrations for King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden’s 80th birthday.1
Two smaller convertible fringe tiaras were also acquired by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) are as follows:
1. The Small Fringe Tiara worn by Chao Chom Manda Sadub
Chao Chom Manda Sadub (one of King Chulalongkorn’s favorite royal concubines) famously surrendered most of her valuable royal jewelry—including pieces gifted by the King—to the royal treasury and senior queens following King Chulalongkorn’s death in 1910 as a sign of mourning and devotion. Historically, these items were returned to the inner palace vaults. Today, jewels of this nature are held securely inside the Grand Palace vaults in Bangkok under the care of the Bureau of the Royal Household or the Crown Property Bureau. They are not on public display and have not been seen on modern royal consorts.
2. The Fringe Tiara worn by the Paribatra Princesses
The tiara seen in 1960s photographs on the granddaughters of King Chulalongkorn (the daughters of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbhand, Prince of Nakhon Sawan) belonged directly to the House of Paribatra line. Following the 1932 revolution, Prince Paribatra went into exile, but much of his personal estate and art collection was later managed by his heirs.
The primary collection of the Paribatra family’s heirlooms is held by the Chumbhot-Panthip Foundation. While many of their historic artifacts, lacquer works, and regional jewelry are housed at the Suan Pakkad Palace Museum in Bangkok, high-value historic diamond tiaras like this one are kept in private estate storage or secured bank vaults rather than open museum displays, remaining out of public sight since the late 20th century.