Queen Sirikit, the mother of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn, has died aged 93. She passed away 'peacefully' in a Bangkok hospital at 21:21 local time on Friday night, according to the Thai Royal Household Bureau.
Sirikit had 'suffered several illnesses' while hospitalized since 2019, and had recently battled a blood infection.
For more than six decades, Queen Sirikit was married to Thailand's longest-reigning monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016.
After suffering a stroke in 2012, the queen rarely made public appearances. She first met King Bhumibol while studying music in Paris, where her father served as the Thai ambassador to France. They married on April 28, 1950, just a week before the king's coronation.
As a royal couple during the 1960s, they traveled the world, meeting notable figures such as US presidents and international icons.
In 1980, she was featured in a documentary by the BBC titled 'Soul of a Nation,' where she elaborated on the close ties between the monarchy and the Thai people, emphasizing their roles as the nation's parental figures.
Queen Sirikit's birthday was honored as Mother's Day in Thailand, reflecting her revered status in the hearts of many Thais.
