Thai princess relinquishes royal title
In this Aug. 31, 2007 file photo, Thailand’s Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, right, chats with his royal consort Princess Srirasm as they watch a parade at the historic Merdeka square in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thailand’s Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn has asked the government to strip his wife’s family of their royally issued surname, the latest development in a high-profile crackdown that involves senior members of the police force. The move came after at least three of Princess Srirasm’s relatives were arrested as part of the probe. In a letter dated Friday, Nov. 28, 2014 but released over the weekend, the crown prince ordered the “cancellation of the royally bestowed family name ‘Akrapongpreecha,'” which was issued after the pair married in 2001. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)
BANGKOK— The woman who was in line to be Thailand’s next queen has relinquished her royal title.
A statement issued by the palace’s Royal Gazette late Friday said that Princess Srirasm, the wife of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, had asked permission to give up her royal status.
The palace says 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej approved the request.
The statement gave no reason for the move, but it comes two weeks after Vajiralongkorn asked the government to strip several members of Srirasm’s family of their royally-issued surname after they had been detained in a police corruption probe.
Srirasm has been married to Vajiralongkorn since 2001, and the couple have one son.
Vajiralongkorn is the heir to the throne.
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