In an interview with Thai Press on 23/9, on the sidelines of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand, 39, spoke for the first time about her grief following the loss of her half-sister, Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

Princess Sirivannavari recounted her emotional struggle after Bajrakitiyabha’s health declined. While competing in an equestrian event in Italy, she was overwhelmed. "I was overwhelmed with emotions and didn't know whether to fly back immediately, especially since the situation was unclear, and I didn't even have a plane ticket", she recounted.

The association advised her to remain in Italy and continue competing. However, her performance fell short of expectations. "I competed on the day my sister passed away. My performance was very poor. My horse also had issues, and nothing went well", she recalled.

Princess Sirivannavari at the Royal Palace of Thailand for King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 70th birthday celebration in 2022. Photo: AFP

Afterward, Princess Sirivannavari realized she did not qualify for the 2026 Asian Games and needed to compete in another event to earn a spot. She recounted a moment when she felt helpless and nearly gave up hope, describing it as "beyond my endurance, and I just wanted to cry because I was so exhausted".

Despite the setback, the princess found renewed motivation. "But I thought everyone, including my sister, wanted me to compete at the Asian Games, so I pulled myself together and today I am back to my old self. In two weeks, I rose from the depths, fighting with all my strength", she said. The Thai princess thanked her coaching staff and the entire team for pushing her to compete until she qualified for the Asian Games in dressage.

Princess Sirivannavari during an interview with Thai Press on 23/9. Photo: Royal World Thailand

Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died on 11/6 in Bangkok at the age of 47, after more than three years in a coma due to a severe heart rhythm disorder.

At the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, Princess Sirivannavari joined Thailand’s parade contingent. She was responsible for designing the ceremonial attire for over 900 athletes and members of the Thai delegation at the sporting event.

Thai people praying for Princess Bajrakitiyabha at Chulalongkorn Hospital on 16/12/2022, shortly after she fell into a coma. Photo: AFP

Sirivannavari is the daughter of King Vajiralongkorn and Sujarinee Vivacharawongse. She has 4 elder brothers, but they all moved to the US with Sujarinee after her divorce from Vajiralongkorn, who was then the Crown Prince. Princess Sirivannavari remained in Thailand with her father.

She holds the rank of major general in the army, is an equestrian athlete, is active in fashion, and has presented collections at Paris Fashion Week. In May, she was appointed Ambassador for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for fashion and design.

Following Princess Bajrakitiyabha’s passing, the issue of succession within the Thai Royal Family garnered significant attention. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 74, has a total of 7 children from 4 marriages. Among them, Princess Sirivannavari and Prince Dipangkorn, 21, are the two remaining in the line of succession. Sujarinee’s 4 sons are not recognized as legitimate heirs.

By Thanh Danh (Source: Yahoo News, Royal World Thailand)