Rambai Barni

Rambai Barni (รำไพพรรณี,, ), formerly Rambai Barni Svastivatana (รำไพพรรณี สวัสดิวัตน์, ; born 20 December 1904 – 22 May 1984), was Queen of Siam as the wife of King Prajadhipok of Siam.

Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana was born on 20 December 1904, to Prince Svasti Sobhana, the Prince of Svastivatana Visishta (a son of HM King Mongkut and Princess Piyamawadi) and Princess Abha Barni Gaganang.

She was given the nickname, Thanying Na or Princess Na (ท่านหญิงนา).

At the age of two she entered the palace, to be "given" to a queen for education as was the custom.

In Princess Rambai Barni's case it was Queen Saovabha, wife of HM King Chulalongkorn (her aunt).

From then on she lived at Dusit Palace.

After the death of King Chulalongkorn in 1910, she was moved to the Grand Palace, where she studied at the Rajini School (or Queen's School) set up by Queen Saovabha.

During this period she became very close to her cousin, Queen Saovabha's youngest son, Prince Prajadhipok Sakdidej, the Prince of Sukhothai.

In 1917, after completing his studies abroad and the customary period of monasticism, Prince Prajadhipok and Princess Rambai Barni were married at Bang Pa-In Palace and given the blessings of her new brother-in-law, King Vajiravudh.

The couple lived at the prince's Bangkok residence, Sukhothai Palace.

In 1925, King Vajiravudh died without leaving any male issue (his only daughter, Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda, was born a day earlier and palace law dictated that the throne must pass to the next male full-sibling of the king).

The crown was then passed on to his younger brother and heir.

Princess Rambai Barni's husband ascended the throne as King Prajadhipok (or Rama VII), she was immediately invested with title of Queen Consort of Siam after her husband's own coronation ceremony.

Prajadhipok followed his brother's abandonment of polygamy and instead had one queen.

Both the king and queen received modern European educations in their youth.

Once they inherited the throne they set about modernizing the institution of monarchy, copying European dress and customs.

The king and queen spent most of their time away from Bangkok, preferring instead to stay at the beach resort town of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province at a palace called Klai Kangwon (Thai: วังไกลกังวล) (or "far from worries"), which they had built.

It was here in June 1932 that the royal couple was told of the revolution instigated by the Khana Ratsadon, which demanded of the absolutist king a constitution for the people of Siam.

The event would be a turning point for Rambai Barni and her husband, as the absolute rule of the House of Chakri was replaced by a constitutional regime.

In the early stages of the constitutional monarchy, the King and the royalists seemed to be able to compromise with Khana Ratsadon.

The constitutional bill which was drafted by Pridi Banomyong and intended to be a permanent one was made temporary.

The new constitution restored some of the monarch's lost power and status.

Among them were introduction of unelected half of the House of Representatives and royal veto power.

The country's first prime minister Phraya Manopakorn Nititada was a conservative and royalist nobleman.

The compromise broke down quickly.

He did not contest when his interpretation of Pridi's economic plan, which also aim on land reform and seizure of royal land, was released with his signature.

The King played a role in the coup d'état of April 1933 where the House was ordered to close by the Prime Minister.

He signed an order to execute Khana Ratsadon leaders.

But Khana Ratsadon's military wing leader Phraya Phahol Phonphayuhasena ousted the government and restored its power.

He played an active role in an anti-revolutionary network, which also aim to assassinate Khana Ratsadon's leaders.

In October 1933, the maverick Prince Boworadej, a former minister of defence, led an armed revolt against the government.

In the Boworadet Rebellion, he mobilised several provincial garrisons and marched on Bangkok, occupying the Don Muang aerodrome.

Prince Boworadej accused the government of being disrespectful to the monarch and of promoting communism, and demanded that government leaders resign.

The rebellion ultimately failed.

The King did not directly supported the rebellion, but there was a check from the treasury to Boworadej.

The insurrection diminished the king's prestige.

When the revolt began, Prajadhipok immediately informed the government that he regretted the strife and civil disturbances.

The royal couple then took refuge at Songkhla, in the far south.

The king's withdrawal from the scene was interpreted by the Khana Ratsadorn as a failure to do his duty.

By not throwing his full support behind government forces, he had undermined their trust in him.