Thai King And The Royal Family
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born in Cambridge Massachusetts, United States of America, on Monday December 5, 1927. He is the third and youngest child of Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Mahidol of Songkhla.
In the year 1935, Bhumibol’s elder brother Prince Ananda succeeded his uncle King Prajadhipok and was crowned as King Ananda, Rama VIII. King Ananda was assassinated in the year 1946. He was shot in the head while he was in his bedroom at the Grand Palace. King Bhumibol came to the throne following the death of his brother. The King had his education at Switzerland. He received the Bachelieres Lettres diploma from the Gymnase Classique Cantonal of Lausanne. He planned to study science, but later he changed his course to Politics and Law. He decided to complete these courses before his coronation and so he postponed his coronation by four year. He appointed his uncle Rangsit as Prince Regent and returned to Switzerland to finish his education.
During his education in Switzerland, Bhumibol visited Paris frequently. There he met his cousin Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of the Thai ambassador to France. The King met with an accident in the year 1948 and was seriously injured. While he was in the hospital, Sirikit visited him frequently and this incident brought them closer to each other. In the year 1950, they got engaged and were married.
The King and Queen of Thailand have four children:
Her Royal Highness Princess Ubol Ratana who was born on April 5, 1951, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was born on July 28, 1952, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was born on April 2, 1955 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn was born on July 4, 1957 in Bangkok, Thailand.
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