Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand has died at the age of 47, the palace announced. The eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn had been in a coma for nearly four years after suffering heart problems in December 2022 while training her dogs.
Health Decline
Since her hospitalization, there were few updates on her condition. In early May, the palace stated that her health worsened due to multiple infections in several organs, and physicians could not stabilize her irregular heart rate. In April, doctors discovered a stomach infection causing intestinal inflammation, leading to low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. Her kidney function and breathing were supported by medical equipment.
Background and Career
Born in 1978 to then-Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and Princess Soamsawali, Bajrakitiyabha held multiple degrees, including a doctorate from Cornell University. She served as Thailand's ambassador to Austria, worked in the attorney general's office and royal security command, and was a goodwill ambassador for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. She also campaigned for the rights of female prisoners.
Succession Implications
Her death raises sensitive succession questions. Thailand has strict lese majesty laws, making public discussion of the monarchy risky, with penalties up to 15 years in prison per charge. Analysts considered Bajrakitiyabha a well-suited heir, though this was never officially addressed.
King Vajiralongkorn has married four times and has seven children. Only three hold royal titles: Bajrakitiyabha, Princess Sirivannavari (38), and Prince Dipangkorn (20). Some speculated Bajrakitiyabha might act as regent for Dipangkorn, who reportedly has learning difficulties, or become queen. Thailand has never had a ruling queen.
The king's four other sons have lived abroad since the mid-1990s after their mother, Sujarinee, was accused of adultery. They visited Thailand in 2023 for the first time in decades but claimed in 2025 they were denied entry. The king divorced Bajrakitiyabha's mother in 1991, but she retains her royal title. Prince Dipangkorn's mother, Srirasmi Suwadee, was stripped of her title after her family faced corruption allegations.
