Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has married the deputy head of his personal security detail in a surprise wedding and given her the title Queen Suthida, just days before his official coronation. The announcement of the unexpected ceremony, just three days before the long-awaited coronation, was made in the royal gazette and footage from Wednesday’s wedding ceremony was later shown on the nightly royal news segment aired on all Thai television channels. Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, after 70 years on the throne. He was due to be officially crowned in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies that will take place over three days this weekend, finishing with a procession through Bangkok. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932 but the royal family still holds enormous loyalty, power and wealth in Thailand, with the king considered the spiritual protector of the people. The king is also insulated from criticism by some of the strictest lese majeste laws in the world. Suthida Tidjai on duty at the king’s side in Bangkok earlier this month. Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA Some royal observers and foreign media had linked Suthida romantically with the king, but the palace had previously never acknowledged any relationship. In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit. She was then promoted to full general in the army in December 2016 and has also been made a thanpuying, a royal title meaning lady. Among the dignitaries at the wedding were Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military junta that has run Thailand since a 2014 army coup, as well as other members of the royal family and palace advisers, the wedding footage showed. Vajiralongkorn has previously been married and divorced three times and has seven children. He and Suthida are known to spend most of their time living between Thailand and Germany, where Vajiralongkorn owns a $12m mansion in Lake Starnberg, Munich. They also live with Vajiralongkorn’s son, Prince Dipankorn Rasmichoti, who is from a previous marriage. While the king took the throne after the death of his father, his formal coronation follows a mourning period for King Bhumibol, whose royal cremation was held a year after his death. The coronation is expected to cost upwards of $30m.<doc-sep>King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 66, of Thailand has married his 40-year-old female bodyguard, just days before his coronation ceremony is set to occur on Saturday. The new queen Suthida Tidjai has been King Vajiralongkorn’s deputy commander of his personal security detail for many years and before that, a flight attendant. The two have been spotted together in public for years and although their relationship had never been officially acknowledged, rumors have been circulating for a while. King Vajiralongkorn married Tidjai this week, promoting her to the royal title of Queen Suthida and officially inducted her into the royal family. A statement directly from the monarchy said, according to The BBC, that the king “has decided to promote General Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya, his royal consort, to become Queen Suthida and she will hold royal title and status as part of the royal family.” Although King Vajiralongkorn has technically been the ruling member of the royal family since his father’s passing in 2016, his official coronation ceremony is set for Saturday, with no known reason why it has been postponed this long, the Washington Post said. (RELATED: Musk’s Makeshift Child Submarine Is On Its Way To Thailand For Rescue Mission) The wedding ceremony was broadcasted across Thailand. The king can be seen pouring “sacred water” on the new queen’s head as she bows down to him. The two then proceeded to sign a marriage registry following the wedding.<doc-sep>Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida. Just days before his official coronation, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Wednesday married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida. The surprise announcement was carried in the Royal Gazette, and footage from Wednesday's wedding ceremony was later shown on the nightly Royal News segment aired on all Thai television channels. Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch in 2016 following the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had ruled for 70 years. He is due to be officially crowned in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies on Saturday, followed by a procession through Bangkok the next day. In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit. Some royal observers and foreign media had linked Suthida romantically with the king, but the palace had previously never acknowledged a relationship between them. The king made Suthida a full general in the Royal Thai Army in December 2016, and the deputy commander of the king's personal guard in 2017. He also made her a Thanpuying, a royal title meaning Lady. Thai television, which broadcast the royal order Wednesday evening, showed a video of Suthida prostrating herself before the king, to whom she, according to the announcer, presented a tray of flowers and joss sticks, and in return was bestowed traditional gifts associated with royal power. It also showed the king in a white uniform and his bride in a pink silk traditional dress formally registering their marriage on Wednesday in his palace residence in the capital, Bangkok. It showed what the television announcer said was the couple signing a marriage certificate book, which was also signed by the king’s sister, Princess Sirindhorn, and Privy Council head Prem Tinsulanonda as witnesses. Among the dignitaries at the wedding were Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military junta that has run Thailand since a 2014 army coup, as well as other members of the royal family and palace advisers, the wedding footage showed. Vajiralongkorn has previously been married and divorced three times and has seven children. While the king took the throne after the death of his father, his formal coronation follows a mourning period for King Bhumibol, whose royal cremation was held a year after his death. (With inputs from Associated Press)<doc-sep>
Just days before his official coronation, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Wednesday married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida. The surprise announcement was carried in the Royal Gazette, and footage from Wednesday’s wedding ceremony was later shown on the nightly Royal News segment aired on all Thai television channels. Watch | Thailand King gets married to bodyguard Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016, after 70 years on the throne. He is due to be officially crowned in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies on Saturday, followed by a procession through Bangkok the next day. In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit. Some royal observers and foreign media had linked Suthida romantically with the king, but the palace had previously never acknowledged a relationship between them. The king made Suthida a full general in the Royal Thai Army in December 2016, and the deputy commander of the king’s personal guard in 2017. He also made her a Thanpuying, a royal title meaning Lady. Among the dignitaries at the wedding were Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military junta that has run Thailand since a 2014 army coup, as well as other members of the royal family and palace advisers, the wedding footage showed. Vajiralongkorn has previously been married and divorced three times and has seven children. While the king took the throne after the death of his father, his formal coronation follows a mourning period for King Bhumibol, whose royal cremation was held a year after his death.