The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A d ...

of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ti ...

, who is

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a stateFoakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and le ...

. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Rattanakosin Era and the city of Bangkok in 1782; following the end of Taksin Thonburi's reign, when the capital of Siam shifted to Bangkok. The royal house was founded by Rama I, an Ayutthaya military leader of Sino- Mon descent. Prior to his accession to the throne, Rama I held for years the title Chakri, the civil chancellor. In founding the dynasty, the king himself chose "''Chakri''" as the name for it. The emblem of the house is composed of the discus (

Chakra Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...

) and the trident ( Trisula), the celestial weapons of gods Vishnu and

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

, of whom the Thai sovereign is seen as an incarnation. The current head of the house is Maha Vajiralongkorn who was proclaimed king on 1 December 2016, but has reigned with retroactive effect since 13 October 2016 after the death of his father

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 Great ...

. The house's current seat is the Grand Palace. On Saturday, 4 May 2019, the coronation of Vajiralongkorn, with the traditional ceremony, occurred in Bangkok.

Royal family

The present royal family of Thailand is descended from Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of

Songkla Songkhla ( th, สงขลา, ), also known as Singgora or Singora ( Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ), is a city ('' thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies south of ...

(1891–1929) and

Srinagarindra Princess Srinagarindra ( th, ศรีนครินทรา; ; 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) née Sangwan Talapat ( th, สังวาลย์ ตะละภัฏ; ) was a member of the Royal Thai Family and the House of Mahidol, whi ...

(later Princess Mother) (1900–95) forming the House of Mahidol (ราชสกุลมหิดล) (a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets—realm, titles ...

of the dynasty). The Prince was a son of King

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� ...

and his wife Queen

Savang Vadhana 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 (Rama V), but she was no ...

. The Prince was also the half-brother of both King Vajiravudh and King Prajadhipok. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol (Prince Mahidol's elder son), King

(the Prince's younger son) ascended the throne in 1946. In 1949 the King married his first cousin once removed, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara (a daughter of Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangala Kitiyakara, a grandson of King Chulalongkorn). Bhumibol was succeeded by his son Maha Vajiralongkorn officially on 13 October 2016, but was proclaimed King on 1 December 2016.

Members

This is a list of current members of the royal family: * Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother (the King's mother, the late King Rama IX's consort) ** King Vajiralongkorn (Phra Vajira Klao Chao Yu Hua) ** Queen

Suthida Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana ( th, สุทิดา พัชรสุธาพิมลลักษณ, , ), born Suthida Tidjai ( th, สุทิดา ติดใจ; 3 June 1978), is Queen of Thailand as the fourth wife of King Va ...

(the King's consort) *** Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the Princess Rajasarini Siribajra (the King's older daughter) *** Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana (the King's younger daughter) *** Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (the King's fifth and youngest son and heir presumptive to the throne of Thailand) ** Princess Sirindhorn, the Princess Debaratana Rajasuda (second daughter of King Rama IX) ** Princess Chulabhorn, the Princess Srisavangavadhana (youngest daughter of King Rama IX) *** Princess Siribha Chudabhorn (Princess Chulabhorn's older daughter) *** Princess Aditayadorn Kitikhun (Princess Chulabhorn's younger daughter) ** Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya (oldest daughter of King Rama IX)

Other members

* Princess Soamsawali, the Princess Suddhanarinatha (the King's former consort and mother of Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the Princess Rajasarini Siribajra) * ''Chao Khun Phra'' Sineenat Bilaskalayani (the King's concubine/royal noble consort) * Sujarinee Vivacharawongse (the King's former consort and mother of Princess Sirivannavari) ** Juthavachara Vivacharawongse (the King's oldest son) and his wife, Riya Gough ** Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse (the King's second son) ** Chakriwat Vivacharawongse (the King's third son) ** Vatcharawee Vivacharawongse (the King's fourth son) * ''Than Phu Ying'' Srirasmi Suwadee (the King's former consort and mother of Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti) * ''Than Phu Ying'' Ploypailin Jensen (Princess Ubolratana's elder daughter) and her husband, David Wheeler ** Maximus Wheeler (Princess Ubolratana's oldest grandchild) ** Leonardo Wheeler (Princess Ubolratana's second grandchild) ** Alexandra Wheeler (Princess Ubolratana's third grandchild) * ''Than Phu Ying''

Sirikitiya Jensen Than Phu Ying Sirikitiya Jensen ( th, สิริกิติยา เจนเซน, born March 18, 1985), or Sirikittiya Mai Jensen ( th, สิริกิตติยา ใหม่ เจนเสน; ), born Mai Jensen ( th, ใหม� ...

(Princess Ubolratana's younger daughter) * ''Than Phu Ying''

Dhasanawalaya Sornsongkram Than Phu Ying Dhasanawalaya Sornsongkram ( th, ทัศนาวลัย ศรสงคราม; ; ), née Dhasanawalaya Ratanakul Serireongrit ( th, ทัศนาวลัย รัตนกุล เสรีเริงฤทธิ์; ...

(the King's first cousin, daughter of the late 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 ...

) and her husband, Sinthu Sornsongkram ** Jitat Sornsongkram (grandson of the late Princess

) and his wife, Jessica Sornsongkram

Line of succession

* '' Prince Mahidol Adulyadej (1892-1929)'' ** Princess Galyani Vadhana (1923-2008) ***

(born 1945) **** Jitas Sornsongkram (born 1974) ** '' King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) (1925-1946)'' ** '' King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) (1927–2016)'' *** King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) (born 1952) **** (1) Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti (b. 2005) **** (2) Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the Princess Rajasarini Siribajra (b. 1978) **** (3) Princess Sirivannavari (b. 1987) *** (4) Princess Sirindhorn, the Princess Debaratana Rajasuda (b. 1955) *** (5) Princess Chulabhorn, the Princess Srisavangavadhana (b. 1957) **** (6) Princess Siribha Chudabhorn (b. 1982) **** (7) Princess Aditayadorn Kitikhun (b. 1984)

Notes

* Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya (b. 1951), eldest daughter of King Rama IX, renounced her right of succession for herself and her heirs upon her marriage in 1972. * Juthavachara Vivacharawongse (b. 1979), Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse (b. 1981), Chakriwat Vivacharawongse (b. 1983), and Vatchrawee Vivacharawongse (b. 1985), the sons of King Rama X and Sujarinee Vivacharawongse, are not in the line of succession to the throne.

History

Monarchs

Timeline

Front Palaces

The Maha Uparat (มหาอุปราช) or the Krom Phrarajawang Bavorn Sathan Mongkol (Vice or Second King of Siam/Viceroy of Siam) (กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล) was an office that was bestowed on the highest ranking prince, frequently the monarch's younger brother or son. Until 1885 every Chakri monarch had appointed a prince to this office. The ''Uprarat'' and his miniature court would reside at the Front Palace (วังหน้า) (a palace complex to the north of the Grand Palace, now the site of the

Bangkok National Museum The Bangkok National Museum ( th, พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร, ) is the main branch museum of the National Museums in Thailand and also one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia. It feat ...

). By tradition the Uparat was designated the heir to the throne, however only Prince Isarasundhorn was able to ascend the throne as King

Buddha Loetla Nabhalai Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai ( th, พระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย, 24 February 1767 – 21 July 1824), personal name Chim ( th, ฉิม), also styled as Rama II, was the second monarch of Siam under the Chakri ...

. The office was extremely prestigious and carried with it almost equal status to the king, this can be seen in Prince Chutamani (younger brother of King

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibo ...

), who was elevated to Vice King Pinklao in 1851 (he carried with him the styles and titles of a King). The office was abolished by King Chulalongkorn when his Uparat and cousin Prince Bovorn Vichaicharn died. He then declared his oldest son the

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 wife ...

of Siam, but not Uparat.

Rear Palace

Krom Phrarajawang Boworn Sathan Phimuk (กรมพระราชวังบวรสถานพิมุข), or the Rear Palace, was another office inherited from the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. However, since the founding of the dynasty there has only been one rear palace. Prince Anurak Devesh was the nephew of King Buddha Yodfa Chualoke (his mother Princess Thepsuthavadi was the king's elder sister) and was appointed to the office in 1785.

Crown Princes

The Crown Prince of Thailand or Sayam Makutrajakuman (สยามมกุฎราชกุมาร) is the designated and

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

to the throne and headship of the dynasty. The title was created in 1886 when King Chulalongkorn appointed his eldest son by Princess Consort Savang Vadhana, Prince

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 ...

as Sayam Makutrajakuman. The title was copied directly from the Western tradition. Since then, there has only been three crown princes. The most recent crown prince, Maha Vajiralongkorn, was invested with the title in 1972 and became King in 2016. The succession is governed by the 1924 Palace Law of Succession passed by King Vajiravudh.

Queens

Family tree

Cadet houses

Royal houses

Viceregal houses

References

External links

Chakri Dynasty and the City of Angels

The Chakri Dynasty 1782

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Royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papa ...

Thai monarchy Thai royalty 1780s in Siam 1790s in Siam 19th century in Siam 20th century in Thailand 21st century in Thailand 1782 establishments in Siam