Saovabha Phongsri

Saovabha Phongsri Queen Regent of Siam Queen consort of Siam Tenure 1878 – 23 October 1910 Born (1864-01-01)1 January 1864 Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam Died 20 October 1919(1919-10-20) (aged 58) Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam Spouse Chulalongkorn Issue Princess Bahurada Manimaya King Vajiravudh Prince Tribejrutama Dhamrong Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanadh Prince Siriraj Kakudhabhand Prince Asdang Dejavudh Prince Chudadhut Dharadilok King Prajadhipok House Chakri Dynasty Father Mongkut Mother Piam Sucharitakul

Royal wives of Chulalongkorn Sunanda Kumariratana Sukhumala Marasri Savang Vadhana Saovabha Phongsri

Queen Saovabha Phongsri (Template:Lang-th; RTGS: Saowapha Phongsi (Pronunciation)) was an agnatic half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and King Prajadhipok (Rama VII). As in accordance with Thai royal tradition, King Vajiravudh later bestowed on his mother the title of "Queen Mother Sri Bajrindra" (Template:Lang-th; RTGS: Si Phatcharin).

Life

Saovabha was born as a Princess of Siam to King Mongkut (or Rama IV) and Princess Consort Piyamavadi (Piam Sucharitakul). She was the youngest sister of the future Queen Sunandha Kumariratana and Queen Savang Vadhana. Saovabha became the consort of her half brother King Chulalongkorn sometime in 1878. She gave him 9 children, 5 would survive to adulthood (one died in infancy), two would eventually become King of Siam.

In 1897, Queen Saovabha became the first female Regent of Siam, when her husband went on a tour of Europe. When he returned he bestowed upon her the title of "Somdet Phra Nang Chao Saowapha Phongsi Praborommarachininat" (RTGS) (Template:Lang-th) (roughly equivalent to H.M. the Queen Regent). During her time as queen she took many interests especially in the issues concerning women. In 1904 she established one of the first schools for girls in Siam; the "Rajini School" or Queen's School in Bangkok.

When she died in 1919 at the age of 57, she was given a grand Royal Funeral, attended by all members of the Siamese Royal Family, and the ceremony was presided over by her son King Vajiravudh. She played a prominent posthumous role in the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, in which her son King Vajiravudh stipulated that her children would take precedent among all others over the line of succession. This guaranteed the accession of her youngest son Prince Prajadhipok to the throne in 1925, despite there being more senior and learned sons of Chulalongkorn. The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute was named after her.

Children

She had 9 children with King Chulalongkorn:

Name	Birth	Death	Spouse	Children
Bahurada Manimaya, Princess Debanariratana	19 December 1878	27 August 1887
Vajiravudh	1 January 1880	25 November 1925	Prabai Sucharitakul	None
			Princess Vannabimol Varavan	None
			Prueng Sucharitakul	None
			Krueakaew Abhaiwongse	Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda
Prince Tribejrutama Dhamrong	8 February 1881	22 November 1887
Chakrabongse Bhuvanadh, Prince of Bisnulok	3 March 1883	13 June 1920	Ekaterina Ivanovna Desnitskaya	Prince Chula Chakrabongse
			Princess Javalit Obhas Rabibadhana	None
Prince Siriraj Kakudhabhanda	27 November 1885	3 May 1887
Princess (Unname)	13 December 1884	13 December 1884
Asdang Dejavudh, Prince of Nakhon Rajasima	12 May 1889	9 February 1924	Paew Suddhiburana	None
Chudadhuj Dharadilok, Prince of Bejraburana	5 July 1892	8 July 1923	La-or Sirisambandh	Princess Sudasiri Sobha
			Ravi Kayananda	Prince Varananda Dhavaj
			Princess Bunchiradhorn Jumbala	None
Prajadhipok	8 November 1893	30 May 1941	Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana	None

In addition, the queen also adobted one of Savang Vadhana's daughters, Princess Valaya Alongkorn and raised as her own daughter.

Titles and styles

Styles of Queen Saovabha of Siam
Reference style	Her Royal Majesty
Spoken style	Your Royal Majesty
Alternative style	Madame

• 1864 – 1869: Her Royal Highness Princess Saovabha Phongsri
• 1869 – 1878: Her Royal Highness Princess Saovabha Phongsri, the Princess Sister
• 1878 – 1879: Her Royal Highness Princess Saovabha Phongsri, the King's Consort
• 1879 – 1880: Her Royal Highness Princess Saovabha Phongsri, the Princess Consort (lower class)
• 1880 – 1894: Her Royal Highness Princess Saovabha Phongsri, the Princess Consort (upper class)
• 1894 – 1897: Her Majesty Queen Saovabha Phongsri, the Royal Consort
• 1897 – 1910: Her Majesty Queen Saovabha Phongsri, the Queen Regent
• 1910 – 1919: Her Majesty Queen Regent Saovabha Phongsri, the Queen Mother

Royal Decorations

• The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
• The Ancient and Auspicious of Order of the Nine Gems
• Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• King Rama IV Royal Cypher Medal (Second Class)
• King Rama V Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
• King Rama VI Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)

See also

• 1924 Palace Law of Succession
• Savang Vadhana
• Chulalongkorn
• Vajiravudh
• Prajadhipok

External links

• The Thai Redcross Society
• The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute