Thailand mourns former Queen Sirikit, ‘Mother of the Nation,’ dead at 93

Former Queen Sirikit of Thailand passed away at the age of 93 on Friday, October 24, 2025, after battling a blood infection, the government’s Public Relations Department announced. She died peacefully at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society.

Born on August 12, 1932, Queen Sirikit’s birthday is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand, a national holiday. She married King Bhumibol at 18, who later became Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty. Together, they were widely recognized as one of the world’s longest-serving royal couples.

King Bhumibol, the world’s longest-serving head of state, passed away in 2016, and their son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, succeeded him. Queen Sirikit had rarely appeared in public following a debilitating stroke in 2012.

Throughout her life, she actively supported Buddhist groups and promoted Thai handicrafts. She founded the Support Foundation to help rural women create and sell products such as woven goods and personally visited hundreds of development projects initiated by her husband.

Renowned for her elegance, Queen Sirikit topped the International Best-Dressed List four times during the 1960s and was once the glamorous face of the monarchy’s postwar revival. Although Thailand’s constitutional monarchy holds no direct political power, it carries significant influence.

Her influence was sometimes politically significant, particularly during periods of national unrest. She was reported to have supported certain government leaders and royalist protesters, actions that sparked discussion about the monarchy’s behind-the-scenes role in Thailand’s politics.

The palace has declared a year-long mourning period, and Thailand may cancel 30 days of entertainment activities and concerts in her honor.

Queen Sirikit is survived by her three daughters, a son, and her sister, Busba Kitiyakara Sathanapong.