Savang Vadhana
Sri Savarindira, also known as Savang Vadhana, was a half-sister and queen consort of King Chulalongkorn. After her first grandson's accession to power in 1935, she became known as Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother of Thailand title in Thailand is Somdetch Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao. All her children died before her and she lived to see her grandsons Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej take the throne.
Life
She was the 27th daughter of King Rama IV and Princess Consort Piam and thus her husband's half-sister. Her marriage to Chulalongkorn produced the following children:- Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis
- Prince Isariyalongkorn
- Princess Vichitra Chiraprabha
- Prince Sommatiwongse Varodaya, the Prince of Sri Dharmaraj
- Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the Princess of Phetchaburi
- * After the death of Princess Valaya Alongkorn, Momchao Phichitjirabha Devakula asked Queen Savang Vadhana whether she would attend the funeral. Having lost most of her children by this point, the queen replied: "อ๋อ ไปส่งให้หมด พอกันที ไม่เคยไปเลยจนคนเดียว คนนี้ต้องไป หมดกันที" translated as: "I sent them all off, but never attended any. This time I'll go. No one is left." The context is that mother would not attend her own child's cremation because it was a bad omen and meant that she'd have to attend all her other children's cremation before her own. This means that when she said she will go, it was her last child's funeral.
- Princess Sirabhorn Sobhon
- [Mahidol Adulyadej|Prince Mahidol Adulyadej|Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla],, father of Princess Galyani Vadhana, King Rama VIII, and King Rama IX
- Unnamed princess
- Yaovabha Bongsanid, first child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs
- Prabha Bannabilaya, first child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom
- Rangsit Prayurasakdi, the Prince of Chainat, second child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs, later served briefly as Regent of Siam for his nephew King Bhumibol Adulyadej
- Vapi Busbakara, fourth child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom
When King Prajadhipok (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). She lived long enough to see two of her grandsons become king.
The Queen also helped establish a hospital in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, known today as Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, operated by the Thai Red Cross Society.
Death
She resided in latter years at Sa Pathum Palace, currently located behind Siam Paragon center in downtown Bangkok. The Queen Savang Vadhana Museum is dedicated to her which is located in the Tamnak Yai Mansion inside Sa Pathum Palace. 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. 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.
Title, styles, honours and awards
Styles
- 10 September 1862 - 1868 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana
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- 1868 - 1878 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana
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- 1878 - 12 August 1880 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Royal Consort
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- 12 August 1880 - 17 February 1881 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Princess Consort
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- 17 February 1881 - 1920 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana
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- 1920 - 21 March 1925 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana, The Queen Aunt
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- 21 March 1925 - 25 March 1934 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Aunt
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- 25 March 1934 - 17 December 1955 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother of Thailand
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Honours
- The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
- The Ancient and Auspicious of Order of the Nine Gems
- Dame Grand Cross of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
- Dame of the Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit
- Dame Grand Cordon of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
- King Rama IV Royal Cypher Medal
- King Rama V Royal Cypher Medal
- King Rama VI Royal Cypher Medal
- King Rama VII Royal Cypher Medal
- King Rama VIII Royal Cypher Medal
- King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal