Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha dies after 3 years in care
The 47-year-old had long been seen as a strong contender to succeed King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has not named an heir.
Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol died at the age of 47 after more than three years in hospital care. The Thai Royal Household Bureau said the princess died peacefully on Thursday night, June 11, at Chulalongkorn Hospital. Bajrakitiyabha had been hospitalized since December 2022 after collapsing while training dogs. The palace previously said she had a stomach infection caused by colitis, while other reports linked her condition to an irregular heartbeat and a mycoplasma infection in the heart. Princess Bha, the eldest child of King Maha Vajiralongkorn from his marriage to Princess Soamsawali, was known for her work in law and international cooperation, including at the UN and UNODC. She was also long viewed as a figure eligible for Thailand's line of succession.