Savang Vadhana

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Savang Vadhana
Queen Sri Savarindira
Queen Aunt of Siam
Queen Grandmother of Thailand
Grand Palace, Bangkok, Siam
Died17 December 1955(1955-12-17) (aged 93)
Sa Pathum Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
Burial22 April 1956
SpouseChulalongkorn (Rama V)
Issue
HouseChakri dynasty
FatherMongkut (Rama IV)
MotherPiam Sucharitakul
SignatureSavang Vadhana's signature

Sri Savarindira (Thai: ศรีสวรินทิรา; RTGSSi Sawarinthira, 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), also known as Savang Vadhana (Thai: สว่างวัฒนา; RTGSSawang Watthana), was the royal wives and agnatic half-sister of Chulalongkorn (Rama V), but she was not the Rajini or supreme queen consort. After her first grandson's accession to power in 1935, she became known as Somdetch Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao (สมเด็จพระพันวัสสาอัยยิกาเจ้า; RTGSSomdet Phra Phan Watsa Ai-yika Chao; "the Queen Grandmother").[1] All her children died before her and she lived to see her grandsons Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej take the throne.

Life

Savang Vadhana in 1879

She was the 27th daughter of King Rama IV (

Piam
and thus her husband's half-sister. Her marriage to Chulalongkorn produced the following children:

In addition, the queen also adopted several of her husband's children and raised them as her own children:

All of her biological children died before her death, including two of her sons first in line to the throne, Vajirunhis and Mahidol.

When King Prajadhipok (or Rama VII) abdicated in 1935, the son of Queen Savang Vadhana's youngest son, Prince Ananda Mahidol, acceded to the throne as King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). She received the title of Queen Grandmother, having been renamed Sri Savarindira by King Prajadhipok while she was Queen Aunt.

Queen Sri Savarindira was also the grandmother of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Although her son, Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis did not survive to become king she lived to see two of her grandsons become king.

The Queen also helped establish a hospital in

Chonburi Province, known today as Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, operated by the Thai Red Cross Society
.

Death

She died on 17 December 1955, at the age of 93. Her ashes were interred in the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok. A residence of the queen can be seen at the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace. She resided in latter years at Sa Pathum Palace, The Royal Private Residence, located behind Siam Paragon Shopping center in downtown Bangkok, where a museum dedicated to her is being constructed at the Tamnak Yai Mansion (Grand mansion) inside Sa Pathum Palace. Her state funeral was the first to be covered briefly on television by the young Television of Thailand channel.

Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation was founded on 27 October 2005 under the aegis of Princess

Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
, her great-granddaughter.

Ancestors

Title, styles, honours and awards

Styles of
HM Queen Sri Savarindira, the Queen Grandmother of Thailand
Reference style
Her Majesty
Spoken styleYour Majesty

Styles

  • 10 September 1862 - 1868 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana
    • (Thai: พระเจ้าลูกเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา; Phra Chao Luk Thoe Phra Ong Chao Savang Vadhana)
  • 1868 - 1878 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana (The king's sister)
    • (Thai: พระเจ้าน้องนางเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา; Phra Chao Nong Nang Thoe Phra Ong Chao Savang Vadhana)
  • 1878 - 12 August 1880 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Royal Consort
    • (Thai: พระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระราชเทวี; Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Rajadevi)
  • 12 August 1880 - 17 February 1881 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Princess Consort
    • (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Rajadevi)
  • 17 February 1881 - 1920 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana
    • (Thai: สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระบรมราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Borommarajadevi)
  • 1920 - 21 March 1925 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana, The Queen Aunt
    • (Thai: สมเด็จพระมาตุจฉาเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระบรมราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Matuccha Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Borommarajadevi)
  • 21 March 1925 - 25 March 1934 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Aunt
    • (Thai: สมเด็จพระศรีสวรินทิราบรมราชเทวี พระพันวัสสามาตุจฉาเจ้า; Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Borommarajadevi Phra Phan Vassa Matuccha Chao)
  • 25 March 1934 - 17 December 1955 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother of Thailand
    • (Thai: สมเด็จพระศรีสวรินทิราบรมราชเทวี พระพันวัสสาอัยยิกาเจ้า; Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Borommarajadevi Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao)

Honours

  • 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 of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit
  • 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)
  • King Rama VII Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
  • King Rama VIII Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)
  • King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (First Class)

Issue

Name Birth Death Marriage Children
Date Spouse
Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis 27 June 1878 4 January 1895 None
Prince Isariyalongkorn 4 September 1879 25 September 1879 None
Princess Vichitra Chiraprabha 21 April 1881 15 August 1881 None
Sommatiwongse Varodaya, Prince of Nakhonsridharmaraj 9 June 1882 17 June 1899 None
Valaya Alongkorn, Princess of Bejraburi 16 April 1884 15 February 1938 None
Princess Sirabhorn Sobhon 19 July 1888 24 May 1898 None
Miscarriage 30 March 1889 None
Miscarriage 1890 None
Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkla
(later Prince Father)
1 January 1892 24 September 1929 10 October 1920 Sangwan Talapat Galyani Vadhana, Princess of Naradhiwas
Ananda Mahidol
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Princess (Unnamed) 9 November 1893 12 November 1893 None

See also

References

  1. ^ Finestone, Jeffrey. The Royal Family of Thailand: The Descendants of King Chulalongkorn. Bangkok : Phitsanulok Publishing, 1989, p. 64

External links

Savang Vadhana
Born: 10 September 1862 Died: 17 December 1955
Order of precedence
Preceded by Eldest Royal Member of the Chakri Dynasty
1936–1955
Succeeded by
Non-profit organization positions
Vacant
Title last held by
Saovabha Phongsri
President of Thai Red Cross Society
1920–1955
Vacant
Title next held by
Sirikit