Thailand is mourning a princess the world rarely saw, but whom her country regarded as the most prepared member of the royal family. Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died on 11 June 2026 at the age of 47 - after nearly three years in a coma.

She fell into a coma in December 2022 and had been in hospital in Bangkok ever since. Death came from complications of a stomach infection linked to inflammation of the gut, with low blood pressure and heart problems. Behind the protocol-laden sad news lies a biography that shatters any image of a spoilt princess: a law degree from the University of Chicago, a degree in international relations, ambassador of Thailand to Austria, work with UN organisations and a long-standing fight for women's rights, especially those of female prisoners.

On 12 June the royal funeral procession carried her remains to the throne hall in the Grand Palace in Bangkok, led by the king and Queen Suthida. From 14 June a hall was opened for citizens to pay their respects - hundreds of people are waiting in line, and the traditional Thai rites last 15 days. Local papers switched to black-and-white print as a sign of mourning.

The detail that says more than any official speech: the number 47 - the princess's age - sold out at the lottery across Bangkok. A people that mourns and bets on the number from the tragedy at the same time. The mourning comes only half a year after the death of Queen Mother Sirikit in October 2025, so the palace has gone into mourning twice in a short span. For a country where the crown is sacred, this is not just a family loss - it is a blow to the symbol around which the state is built.