Thailand mourns Queen Mother Sirikit, dead at 93

Thailand is in mourning following the death of former Queen Sirikit, mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and consort to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away at age 93. The palace said she died late Friday at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Hospital after several years of ill health and a recent bloodstream infection. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called her passing a great national loss and postponed travel to a regional summit.

The palace announced that members of the royal family will observe a year-long mourning period. Broadcasters and news anchors, a barometer of national sentiment, appeared in black as the country entered a formal phase of remembrance. Commentators and scholars noted Sirikit’s deep public resonance, describing the moment as profoundly significant for a nation where the monarchy retains powerful cultural influence.

Sirikit came to prominence during King Bhumibol’s seven-decade reign, cultivating an image that blended glamour and maternal care. Celebrated on magazine covers in the 1960s and compared with global style icons, she also spent years travelling with the king to rural communities, supporting development projects. Her birthday became Thailand’s Mother’s Day, underscoring her role as a national matriarch.

In recent years, Sirikit largely withdrew from public life due to declining health, and stringent lèse-majesté laws limited reporting on the royal family’s private affairs. Yet memories of her active decades endure, from meetings with world leaders and artists to moments that drew political scrutiny. Thailand’s modern history—including unprecedented youth-led protests—has tested the monarchy’s standing, but reverence for Sirikit and Bhumibol remains potent for many Thais.

The palace said Sirikit’s body will lie in state at the Grand Palace’s Dusit Thorne Hall. Messages of condolence arrived from abroad, including from Pakistan’s leadership, which expressed solidarity with the Thai nation at a time of grief.