Thailand’s crown prince has divorced his wife, in
a dramatic fall from grace for a senior princess
at a time of heightened anxiety over the health
of the country’s revered but ailing monarch.
A statement published by the palace in the early
hours of Saturday in the Royal Gazette said
Princess Srirasmi had relinquished her royal
status, a move that ends her 13-year marriage to
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The rare public airing of palace intrigue comes
after a string of the princess’ relatives were
arrested in a high-profile corruption scandal that
has sent shockwaves through Thailand’s elite.
“The king has granted permission to announce
that Princess Srirasmi, the wife of Crown Prince
Maha Vajiralongkorn, has informed in a written
document that she has resigned from her royal
status,” the palace said in a short statement,
signalling an end to the marriage.
Analysts said the 62-year-old crown prince’s split
from his wife will deepen fears for the
monarchy’s future as Thailand’s 87-year-old King
Bhumibol Adulyadej enters the twilight of his
reign.
In May, Thailand’s military seized power after
months of violent street protests saying it
needed to do so to protect the monarchy and
restore order to the politically divided nation.
The king — the world’s longest-serving monarch,
who is revered by many Thais as a semi-divine
figure — has been largely confined to hospital
this year and pulled out of plans to hold a public
audience earlier this month during his birthday
celebrations.
Srirasmi married the crown prince in 2001 and
had been expected to become queen. The couple
have a nine-year-old son who was thought to be
Prince Vajiralongkorn’s most likely heir.
“This announcement will add a greater sense of
uncertainty and anxiety among Thais over the
future of their monarchy — not just with the
current generation, but with later generations
too,” Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai expert at
Japan’s Kyoto University, told AFP.
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