His Majesty the King bestowed new titles on senior royal family members in accordance with his new reign on the second day of coronation ceremonies on Sunday.
Their Majesties the King and Queen arrived at the Amarindra Vinijaya Throne Hall in the Grand Palace for the ceremony to confer the new titles on Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, Her Royal Highness Princess Siribha Chudhabhorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Adityadornkitikhun.
All except Her Majesty Queen Sirikit attended the audience with the King.
On Saturday night, Their Majesties the King and the Queen stayed the night in the royal residence, where a Siamese cat and chicken were placed on a pillow as part of housewarming rituals.
Their Majesties moved to a throne hall Sunday morning where the King in white uniform bestowed the royal titles.
The titles were designated to reflect the status and hierarchical relations in the immediate royal family. Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has been named Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother.
The English titles of other royal members are expected to remain largely unchanged although in the Thai language the new titles of the princesses and prince mostly signify their relations to His Majesty the King.
From their titles meaning daughters of the previous king, Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn are given new titles which denote that they are the younger sisters of the King.
The titles indicating relations of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana and His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti as grandchildren of the previous king have been replaced with those signifying their status as daughters and son of His Majesty the King.
One by one, the King poured sacred water on the heads of princesses and prince with sacred water from a conch and gave them auspicious bael leaves to tuck behind their right ear lobes.
His Majesty also anointed them on the forehead with a powdered paste before handing them gold plaques inscribed with their new names and the royal decorations.
His Majesty greets Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali before performing a ceremony to confer new titles on senior royal family members at the Amarindra Vinijaya Throne Hall on Sunday. tv pool photo
