A page in Thailand's history was deeply marked by a grand international visit. In 1988, Britain's Princess Diana set foot on Thai soil, and her arrival was not only a milestone in the relationship between the two countries, but also inadvertently became a witness to the emotional entanglement within the Thai royal family. It's a story of light and shadow, dignity and loss, memory and forgetting.
Thailand, a country known for its smiles, was especially welcoming and joyful on that special day. However, behind this enthusiasm, there is a fact that has been deliberately ignored - the dissatisfaction and snubbing of the king of Thailand towards his wife. The reason is because of her figure. How did this start?
The arrival of the princess
In Thailand in February 1988, the whole country was immersed in an unprecedented anticipation. The upcoming visit of Princess Diana of the United Kingdom is not only an important milestone in the relationship between Thailand and the UK, but also a great opportunity for the Thai royal family to showcase its international influence. All walks of life in Thailand are making elaborate preparations for this event, with welcome signs hanging up on the streets, and the Thai media constantly reporting relevant news, increasing the anticipation and excitement of the people.
Within the Thai royal family, the assignment of this reception task attracted widespread attention. According to tradition and diplomatic practice, the reception is usually performed by members of the royal family who are equal to the status of visiting dignitaries. This time, however, Prince Vajiralongkorn took the initiative and made a request to his father, the King of Thailand, that he could personally serve as Princess Diana's reception. His request, out of personal interest in the British princess, was finally approved by the King of Thailand.
Prince Vajiralongkorn's decision immediately caused widespread discussion in Thai society. Some admired his courage and enthusiasm, believing that it was a sign of the Thai royal family's integration with international standards, while others were puzzled and uneasy out of respect for the royal traditions. Despite the dissenting voices in society, this decision is a foregone conclusion.
Vajiralongkorn's Choice
In the Thai royal family, Vajiralongkorn attached great importance to the task of hosting the British Princess Diana. In his opinion, this is not only an exchange between countries, but also a great opportunity for the Thai royal family to show their charm and culture. Therefore, when faced with the decision of who will take on the reception job, Vajiralongkorn thought deeply.
Songsawali, the crown princess from a famous family, was once the pride of the Thai royal family. However, the passage of time and the changes in life have made her figure gradually obese, which undoubtedly brought a lot of trouble to her married life.
Vajiralongkorn is one of Thailand's most respected figures, and he has extremely high standards for his image. Especially when facing foreign royals, he wants his partner to show the best image. At that time, Sonsawali, who was about to meet the glamorous and touching Princess Diana, was very dissatisfied with Vajiralongkorn because of her figure. In Vajiralongkorn's view, the image of Songsawali would undoubtedly make him "feel ashamed" in front of Princess Diana.
In order to preserve his dignity and image, Vajiralongkorn made an unexpected decision. He chose to "hide" Songsawali in the palace, and applied for his sister Princess Sirindhorn to receive him in his place.
As soon as this decision was announced, it immediately aroused widespread concern from all walks of life in Thailand. On the one hand, it was a major change in the traditional way of receiving people within the royal family, and on the other hand, there was a lot of expectation that Princess Sirindhorn would be able to take on this important role.
As the most favored daughter of the King of Thailand, Princess Sirindhorn has been well educated since childhood and has a deep understanding of Thai culture and traditions. In preparation for Princess Diana's reception, Princess Sirindhorn showed her ingenuity and meticulous attention. She not only personally participated in the planning of the visit, but also paid special attention to the design of cultural exchange activities, hoping that through these activities, Princess Diana would deeply experience the unique charm of Thailand.
At the moment when Princess Diana arrived in Thailand, Princess Sirindhorn, dressed in traditional Thai attire, greeted this special guest with her unique temperament and affinity.
Accompanied by Princess Sirindhorn
Princess Sirindhorn's full accompaniment really added an incomparable touch to Princess Diana's trip to Thailand. Her participation not only reflects the great importance that the Thai royal family attaches to this visit, but also highlights the profound heritage of Thai culture and the unique charm of Thai women. Princess Sirindhorn, with her suave demeanor and deep understanding of Thai culture, adds special meaning to every event of Princess Diana.
During Princess Diana's visit, Princess Sirindhorn arranged a carefully selected range of activities and tours designed to showcase Thailand's history, art, and natural beauty. Among them, a visit to Thailand's famous historical monuments is particularly memorable. Accompanied by Princess Sirindhorn, Princess Diana walked into Thailand's Grand Palace, which is not only a symbol of the Thai royal family, but also a reflection of the essence of Thai culture. Princess Sirindhorn introduced the historical background and architectural features of the Grand Palace to Princess Diana, which gave Princess Diana a deeper knowledge and understanding of Thailand's history and culture.
In addition to visiting historical sites, Princess Sirindhorn also arranged a performance of traditional Thai arts. Inside an ancient temple, Princess Diana watched a wonderful Thai dance performance. Dressed in traditional costumes, the dancers dance to melodious Thai classical music, showcasing the unique charm of Thai art. Princess Sirindhorn personally explained to Princess Diana the cultural background and artistic characteristics of each dance, making this performance not only a visual feast, but also an in-depth cultural exchange.
On the last day of her visit, Princess Sirindhorn accompanied Princess Diana to a banquet that invited prominent people from all walks of life in Thailand. At the banquet, Princess Sirindhorn not only ensured that Princess Diana was received with the highest standard, but also introduced Thailand's gastronomic culture in particular. The Thai delicacies prepared at the banquet not only made Princess Diana full of praise, but also made her deeply feel the warmth and friendliness of the Thai people.
Princess Diana's demeanor
Princess Diana's trip to Thailand, from the moment she stepped out of the plane, attracted everyone's attention with her unique charm and demeanor. Dressed in a light floral dress, her every smile seemed to carry the warmth of spring, easily overcoming language and cultural barriers and establishing a special emotional connection with the Thai people. Her natural affinity and unpretentious demeanor make people forget that she is a princess from far away England, and more like a long-lost friend.
Throughout her visit, Princess Diana showed a deep interest in and respect for Thai culture. She shuttles between palaces and temples in Thailand, listens carefully to the introduction of each historical site, and asks for details from time to time, showing her true appreciation and respect for Thai culture. She showed a keen interest in the traditional dances performed by Thai artists, often clapping her appreciation and trying to learn some basic Thai vocabulary to show her gratitude.
The fuchsia sari style dress specially prepared for this visit became a highlight of Princess Diana's trip. This gown not only highlights her nobility and elegance, but also pays homage to Thai culture. At a formal banquet, Princess Diana appeared in this dress and immediately became the focus of the audience. The fuchsia sari style design is not only in line with the traditional Thai clothing style, but also incorporates Western fashion elements, showing Princess Diana's unique aesthetic and her ability to skillfully integrate different cultures.
In Thai public, Princess Diana always behaved very decently, and she responded to everyone who greeted her with a smile and a friendly attitude. Her humility and kindness have made her image more and more accessible and popular among the Thai people. Princess Diana also made special visits to charities to interact with local children and vulnerable people, and her actions have further earned the love and respect of the Thai people.
In addition, Princess Diana has participated in a number of cultural exchange activities, including a Thai cooking class, where she cooks and learns to make traditional Thai cuisine. Her participation not only shows her respect and interest in Thai culture, but also her willingness to integrate into local life. Through these intimate and approachable interactions, Princess Diana has managed to bridge the gap not only as a British princess, but also as an international public figure.
Reflection on the ending
Although the visit of British Princess Diana showed the splendor and cultural charm of the Thai royal family in front of the public, it also inadvertently cast a shadow within the Thai royal family - the rift in the marriage between Vajiralongkorn and Songsawali. The eventual breakdown of the relationship was officially announced in 1991, when Vajiralongkorn publicly announced the end of their marriage to Songsawali due to "irreconcilable differences", which was not only the end of the relationship between the two people, but also a public rupture of the two families and the two worlds.
In Thailand, the private lives of royalty members are often seen as part of maintaining social stability and the country's image. Therefore, this divorce is not just a personal matter for Vajiralongkorn and Songsawali, it has also become the focus of widespread public discussion. This divorce exposed the discord within the royal family, and also revealed that even members of the royal family cannot escape the pain and challenges of life.
After the divorce, Songsawali's life changed dramatically after losing the aura of a royal concubine. She is no longer a member of the Thai royal family, which means losing her former social status and way of life. Faced with such a dramatic life shift, Sonsawali had to re-examine her identity and future direction.
Although there are different opinions about the reasons for the divorce, Songsawali's mood is complex and deep. As the public and media gaze fades away, she faces the loneliness of her own and the challenge of reconstructing her life. Although to outsiders it seems, Sonsawali has recovered from this failed marriage and started a new life, she still holds a grudge against Vajiralongkorn on nights when no one is around, and those painful memories still make her sad.
The impact of the divorce on Vajiralongkorn was also far-reaching. Although he was the party filing for divorce, the incident also affected his personal image and the image of the royal family. In a country like Thailand, which values family and social stability, divorce is seen as an extremely serious and unfortunate matter, especially for members of the royal family. Vajiralongkorn had to contend with societal pressures and scrutiny of his personal behavior, which had an impact on his future life and royal duties.
Liu Weihua, Lu Lili.Thailand's new king Maha Vajiralongkorn[J].International Research Reference,2017(1):40-44