Thailand Mourns Queen Mother Sirikit, 93

Queen Mother Sirikit of Thailand died on Oct. 24, 2025 in Bangkok at age 93 from complications of a bloodstream infection, the Royal Household Bureau said. She had been hospitalized since Oct. 17; King Maha Vajiralongkorn ordered a royal funeral with the highest honours and her remains will be enshrined at Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall. A year of mourning was declared for the royal family and officials, and the public has been asked to wear black or neutral colours for an initial 90 days as some events may be cancelled. Born Sirikit Kitiyakara in 1932, she married King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1950 and was the mother of the current king. Widely revered as a national mother figure and fashion icon, she largely withdrew from public life after a debilitating stroke in 2012 but led major charitable and development initiatives — notably the SUPPORT programme — and championed environmental and rural projects that earned her the nickname “Green Queen.”