King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has stripped his royal consort of her rank and titles for "misbehavior and disloyalty against the monarch".
The official announcement of the King stated that his royal consort Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi has been stripped of all royal titles, decorations, status in the royal guard and her military ranks because she had been "ambitious" and tried to "elevate herself to the same state as the queen". The statement added: "The royal consort's behaviors were considered disrespectful."
Sineenat was appointed as royal consort in July, just two months after King Vajiralongkorn married his fourth wife, Queen Suthida. This was the first time a person was awarded the title of Royal Noble Consort in Thailand in nearly a century.
Sineenat was a major-general and is a trained pilot, nurse and bodyguard. Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Queen Suthida was a former flight attendant and deputy head of the king's bodyguard unit. She has been the King's long-term partner and has been seen with him in public for many years.
The announcement was published in the Royal Gazette and it marked Sineenat's abrupt fall from grace after several years of being seen at the side of the king. She has remained a regular guest at royal event even after the king's marriage to Queen Suthida.
According to the royal announcement, Sineenat had "shown resistance and pressure in every manner to stop the appointment of the Queen" ahead of the coronation in May. It added: "The king gave her a royal consort position, in hopes of relieving the pressure and a problem that could affect the monarchy."
The royal consort has been accused of "resistance against the king and the queen" and of abusing her power to give orders on the king's behalf. The statement also indicated that the king learned that "she neither was grateful to the title bestowed upon her, nor did she behave appropriately according to her status".
