Thailand’s king Maha Vajiralongkorn,66, has married the deputy head of his personal security guard force and gave her the title of queen. The move has taken the country by surprise as it comes just days before his official coronation ceremony.
The Royal Gazette and footage of the wedding ceremony was broadcasted by Thai television, in which the Queen Suthida is seen prostrating before the king and presenting him a tray of flowers and joss sticks. In return, she was presented with traditional gifts associated with royal power. The king has bestowed on her the royal title, Thanpuying, meaning Lady.
The members of the royal family and palace advisers were in attendance for the wedding along with other dignitaries including Prayuth Chan-ocha, the leader of the military government who has run Thailand an army coup since 2014.
In 2014, King Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant of Thai Airways as the deputy commander of his bodyguard unit. Later, in 2016, he made her a full general in the Royal Thai army.
The rumours linking Vajiralongkorn and Sathida have been doing rounds for a long time, though their relationship has never been officially acknowledged.
The king has been married and divorced thrice before and has seven children.
Known by the title King Rama X, King Maha Vajiralongkorn became the constitutional monarch after the death of his respected father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The former king ruled the country for 70 years and became the longest-reigning monarch in the world when he died in 2016.
The official crowning ceremony of the new King will be held on Saturday, followed by a procession through Bangkok the next day.