Sri Savarindira ( th, ศรีสวรินทิรา; , 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), also known as Savang Vadhana ( th, สว่างวัฒนา; ), was a consort and half-sister of

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...

(Rama V), but she was not the ''Rajini'' or the highest ranked consort. After her first grandson's accession to power in 1935, she became known as Somdetch Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao (สมเด็จพระพันวัสสาอัยยิกาเจ้า; ; "the Queen Grandmother").Finestone, Jeffrey. ''The Royal Family of Thailand: The Descendants of King Chulalongkorn''. Bangkok : Phitsanulok Publishing, 1989, p. 64 All her children died before her, so she lived to see her grandsons

Ananda Mahidol Ananda Mahidol ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล; ; 20 September 1925 – 9 June 1946), posthumous reigning title Phra Athamaramathibodin ( th, พระอั� ...

and

Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; ( Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Grea ...

take the throne.

Life

She was the 27th daughter of King Rama IV ( King Mongkut or Rama IV) and Princess Consort Piam and thus her husband's half-sister. Her marriage to Chulalongkorn produced the following children: *

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the w ...

Maha Vajirunhis Maha and MAHA may refer to: * Maha (name), an Arabic feminine given name * ''Maha'' (film), a Tamil thriller film * MaHa, Nepali comedy duo, Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya * Maha Music Festival, an annual music festival held on th ...

(27 June 1878 – 4 January 1894) * Prince Isariyalongkorn (4 September 1879 – 25 September 1879) * Princess Vichitra Chiraprabha (21 April 1881 – 15 August 1881) * Prince Sommatiwongse Varodaya, the Prince of Sri Dharmaraj (9 June 1882 – 17 June 1899) * Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the Princess of Phetchaburi (16 April 1884 – 15 February 1938) * Princess Sirabhorn Sobhon (19 July 1888 – 24 May 1898) * Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla, (posthumously ''The Prince Father of Thailand''; 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929), father of

Princess Galyani Vadhana Galyani Vadhana, Princess of Naradhiwas ( th, กัลยาณิวัฒนา; ; 6 May 1923 – 2 January 2008) was a princess of Thailand and the elder sister of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). She w ...

, King Rama VIII, and

King Rama IX Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...

* Princess (unnamed) In addition, the queen also adopted several of her husband's children and raised them as her own children: * Yaovabha Bongsanid (28 August 1884 – 13 June 1934), first child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs * Prabha Bannabilaya (13 August 1885 – 8 September 1948), first child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom * Rangsit Prayurasakdi, the Prince of Chainat (12 November 1885 – 7 March 1951), second child of Chao Chom Manda Mom Rajawongse Nueng Sanidvongs, later served briefly as Regent of Siam for his nephew King

Vapi Busbakara Vapi Busbakara ( th, วาปีบุษบากร; ; 25 June 1891 – 15 December 1982) was the Princess of Siam (later Thailand). She was a member of Siamese Royal Family. She was a daughter of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). She was one o ...

(25 June 1891 – 15 December 1982), fourth child of Chao Chom Manda Phrom All of her biological children died before her death, including two of her sons first in line to the throne,

Vajirunhis Maha Vajirunhis, Crown Prince of Siam ( th, มหาวชิรุณหิศ; ; 27 June 1878 – 4 January 1895) was the first Crown Prince of the Chakri dynasty. He was the first son of King Chulalongkorn and Queen Savang Vadhana together, ...

and Mahidol. When King Prajadhipok (or Rama VII) abdicated in 1935, the son of Queen Savang Vadhana's

youngest son The youngest son is a stock character in fairy tales, where he features as the hero. He is usually the third son, but sometimes there are more brothers, and sometimes he has only one; usually, they have no sisters. In a family of many daught ...

, Prince Ananda Mahidol, acceded to the throne as King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). She received the title of Queen Grandmother, having been renamed Sri Savarindira by King Prajadhipok while she was Queen Aunt. Queen Sri Savarindira was also the grandmother of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Although her son, Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis did not survive to become king she lived to see two of her grandsons become king. The Queen also helped establish a hospital in Si Racha District,

Chonburi Province Chonburi (, , ) is a province of Thailand (''changwat'') located in eastern Thailand. Its capital is also named Chonburi. Neighbouring provinces are (clockwise from north) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Rayong, while the Bay of Bangkok is to th ...

, known today as

Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital () or Somdej Phra Boromma Ratchathewi Na Si Racha Hospital is a hospital located in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, Thailand. It is a hospital operated by the Thai Red Cross Society. It has a CPIRD Medic ...

, operated by the

Thai Red Cross Society The Thai Red Cross Society ( th, สภากาชาดไทย; ) is a major humanitarian organisation in Thailand, providing services as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was founded in 1893 and is h ...

Death

She died on 17 December 1955, at the age of 93. Her ashes were interred in the Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok. A residence of the queen can be seen at the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace. She resided in latter years at

Sa Pathum Palace Sa Pathum Palace ( th, วังสระปทุม, ) is a royal residence in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. It has been a residence of the Thai Royal Family, especially the House of Mahidol, since the 19th century, and is the officia ...

, The Royal Private Residence, located behind Siam Paragon Shopping center in downtown Bangkok, where a museum dedicated to her is being constructed at the Tamnak Yai Mansion (Grand mansion) inside Sa Pathum Palace. Her state funeral was the first to be covered briefly on television by the young

Television of Thailand National Broadcasting Services of Thailand ( th, สถานีวิทยุโทรทัศน์แห่งประเทศไทย) (NBT) is the broadcasting arm of the Government Public Relations Department (PRD), a division of the ...

channel. Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation was founded on 27 October 2005 under the aegis of Princess

Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, The Princess Royal and Princess Debaratana Rajasuda ( th, มหาจักรีสิรินธร, ; ; born April 2, 1955), formerly Princess Sirindhorn Debaratanasuda Kitivadhanadulsobhak ( th, สมเ ...

, her great-granddaughter.

Ancestors

Title, styles, honours and awards

Styles

* 10 September 1862 - 1868 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana ** ( th, พระเจ้าลูกเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา; Phra Chao Luk Thoe Phra Ong Chao Savang Vadhana) * 1868 - 1878 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana (The king's sister) ** ( th, พระเจ้าน้องนางเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา; Phra Chao Nong Nang Thoe Phra Ong Chao Savang Vadhana) * 1878 - 12 August 1880 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Royal Consort ** ( th, พระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระราชเทวี; Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Rajadevi) * 12 August 1880 - 17 February 1881 : Her Royal Highness Princess Savang Vadhana, The Princess Consort ** ( th, สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Rajadevi) * 17 February 1881 - 1920 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana ** ( th, สมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระบรมราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Nang Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Borommarajadevi) * 1920 - 21 March 1925 : Her Majesty Queen Savang Vadhana, The Queen Aunt ** ( th, สมเด็จพระมาตุจฉาเจ้าสว่างวัฒนา พระบรมราชเทวี; Somdet Phra Matuccha Chao Savang Vadhana Phra Borommarajadevi) * 21 March 1925 - 25 March 1934 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Aunt ** ( th, สมเด็จพระศรีสวรินทิราบรมราชเทวี พระพันวัสสามาตุจฉาเจ้า; Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Borommarajadevi Phra Phan Vassa Matuccha Chao) * 25 March 1934 - 17 December 1955 : Her Majesty Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother of Thailand ** ( th, สมเด็จพระศรีสวรินทิราบรมราชเทวี พระพันวัสสาอัยยิกาเจ้า; Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Borommarajadevi Phra Phan Vassa Ayika Chao)

Honours

Order of the Royal House of Chakri (Thailand) ribbon

The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri ( th, เครื่องขัตติยราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติคุณรุ่งเรืองยิ่งมหาจัก� ...

Order of the Nine Gems (Thailand) ribbon

The Ancient and Auspicious of

Order of the Nine Gems The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นโบราณมงคลนพรัตนราชวราภรณ์; ) was established in 1851 by ...

Order of Chula Chom Klao - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious

Order of Chula Chom Klao The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to ...

Dame of the

Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit __NOTOC__ The Ratana Varabhorn Order of Merit ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ตรารัตนวราภรณ์; ) was established on 1 August 1911 by King Rama VI of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailan ...

* Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama ...