Happy Birthday to Queen Suthida of Thailand, who turns 47 today! The former flight attendant and Commander of the Royal Guard who became the fourth wife of the controversial Thai King, Queen Suthida has worn several Royal Heirlooms over the past few years, which includes Queen Sirikit’s Diamond Aigrette!
Queen Sirikit’s Sapphire Suite | Thai Diamond Rivière | Diamond Bracelets | Diamond Swan Brooches | Diamond Aigrette | Emerald Flower Earrings | The Thai Royal Tiaras
A magnificent Diamond Aigrette composed of a large canary diamond set in a a modern design depicting the Emblem of the Royal House of Chakri, the piece was likely commissioned by Queen Sirikit in the 1960s, possibly from her favourite Van Cleef & Arpels.
The Emblem of the Royal House of Chakri depicts a ‘Chakra’ (disc) and a ‘Trisula’ (trident) intertwined. Both of these objects are weapons of Vishnu (of which the Kings of Siam believe themselves to be ‘Avatars’). The symbols also directly relate to King Rama I’s pre-coronation title of “Chao Phraya Chakri”, which in itself is a combination of the word ‘Chak’ and ‘Tri’, thus denoting the two weapons.
Queen Sirikit wore the Diamond Aigrette with her magnificent Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Bib Necklace in Athens at the Wedding of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark in 1964.
A few months later, Queen Sirikit wore the Chakri Diamond Aigrette with her Diamond Necklace and Diamond Bracelets for a Vogue shoot at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The Queen is the smile of the King.” Her gaiety is a treasure. Placed on silken cushions, radiating youthful joy and delight, the Queen intoxicates those around her with her magic. When she speaks, softly, slowly, a golden off-key music, it is as though all the temple bells were ringing.
On a gold-leafed Thai bed in the King’s coronation pavilion, Queen Sirikit, shown, left, in a dress of twenty-carat gold embossed in crystal, appears to be paved in diamonds -canary and white diamonds on her hair, her throat, her wrists, her tapering fingers. This court dress, which the Queen wore to the Greek Royal wedding, was created for her by Pierre Balmain, who designs her superb Paris and Bangkok clothes, her shoes, her Royal umbrellas.
The Queen, above, in a Thai silk pa-hom and pa-noong stands before a porcelain-encrusted tower, one of the many pavilions and temples of the Grand Palace. A square mile of walled en-chantment, the Grand Palace is centred by Chakri Palace, all creamy Palladian, its tiered, uplifted Thai roof, a gleam of orange and green tiles winged with curved finials, called in Thai-land, “happy clouds.”
Queen Sirikit also wore the Diamond Aigrette with the Diamond Bib Necklace for another Banquet at some point in the 1960s, though it has been harder to find any further appearances.
However, Queen Suthida notably wore the Chakri Diamond Aigrette as a Brooch with Queen Sirikit’s Sapphire Suite with Diamond Bracelets for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023, and there is no doubt it will be worn again!
Queen Sirikit’s Sapphire Suite | Thai Diamond Rivière | Diamond Bracelets | Diamond Swan Brooches | Diamond Aigrette | Emerald Flower Earrings | The Thai Royal Tiaras
