Laksamilawan
Encyclopedia
Princess Consort Laksamilawan ' onMouseout='HidePop("71065")' href="/topics/Royal_Thai_General_System_of_Transcription">RTGS:
—Laksami Lawan—) (3 July 1899 - 29 August 1961) was the royal consort of King Vajiravudh
(or Rama VI) of Siam. Her father was Prince Naradhip Prapanpongse (a son of King Mongkut
and a concubine), a well-accepted poet and artist of the day.
HM King Vajiravudh's first engagement was to HSH Mom Chao Vallapadevi Voravarn, daughter of Prince Naradhip Prapanpong. During the engagement, he met and became close to HSH Princess (Mom Chao) Varnbimol Voravarn, sister of his fiance. The king, being a poet and artist, changed her name to Mom Chao Laksamilawan Voravarn. He kept his love a secret for 8 months, when could withheld it no longer. He then decreed a null to his first engagement, and promptly elevated Mom Chao Laksamilawan to the rank of Pra Ong Chao, and became a Royal Highness, and married her in 1922. On 27 August 1922, the king held a celebration of his bestowment of the title of "Pra Nang Ther" to his wife, a title that is above that of a princess, but not yet quite a queen, of which I shall use the title of "Princess Consort". As much as he loved and adored her, the king's first priority was to produce an heir to the throne, and the princess was unable to do so. Another consort, Miss Prapai Sucharitkul, then became pregnant, which earned her the title of queen - Queen Indrasakdi Sachi. Sadly, the new queen lost her pregnancy three times. Meanwhile, Princess Laksami saw that her inability to produce an heir was, in fact, her not being to do her full duty as Royal Consort, she thus "retired" and moved to a simpler life outside the Royal Court. She moved to a small palace and lived her life as a poet and writing plays for the theatre, a gift that she inherited from her father, which was supported by her ex-husband, the king. She wrote the letter under her picture and sent to her husband that "I present the love that to be no more in this world for you".
After the king's death in 1925, she lived virtually alone with hardly a royal servant that were once in abundant when she was a Royal Consort. After the war, she received some money that was left to her by the king, and moved to another palace, Laksami Vilas Villa, on Sri Ayudhya Road. She became a noted writer, and translated many Western books under the name "Patama Varnpimol". Near the end of her life, she became a little sad with life and scolded the new generations for their modern behaviour that were seen by her generation as un-Siamese. Although extremely lonely, she tried to live her life in the ways that she thought best, and held her head high. She then became a virtual recluse in her palace, declining to receive any guests.
In the evening of 29 August 1961, a gardener of the Princess, wanting to steal her wealth left by the King, with a crowbar hit her head from her back while she was doing gardening until she dead. At that time she was 62 years of age. By the Princess's father, her dead body was found nearby a garage in the villa five days after the death. The murderer pledged the decorations stolen by him, not knowing what they were. Having seen this, the pawnshop owner informed the police. Having been arrested, the murderer confessed that he merely knew that the Princess was a member of the royal house, but not knowing that she held much higher rank than he thought.
Royal Thai General System of Transcription
The Royal Thai General System of Transcription is the official system for rendering Thai language words in the Latin alphabet, published by the Royal Institute of Thailand...
—Laksami Lawan—) (3 July 1899 - 29 August 1961) was the royal consort of King Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
(or Rama VI) of Siam. Her father was Prince Naradhip Prapanpongse (a son of King Mongkut
Mongkut
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...
and a concubine), a well-accepted poet and artist of the day.
Biography
Her given name is Mom Chao Varnbimol Voravarn. She is daughter of Prince Naradhip Prapanpongse and Mom Luang Thad Montreekul. She was born on 3 July 1899.HM King Vajiravudh's first engagement was to HSH Mom Chao Vallapadevi Voravarn, daughter of Prince Naradhip Prapanpong. During the engagement, he met and became close to HSH Princess (Mom Chao) Varnbimol Voravarn, sister of his fiance. The king, being a poet and artist, changed her name to Mom Chao Laksamilawan Voravarn. He kept his love a secret for 8 months, when could withheld it no longer. He then decreed a null to his first engagement, and promptly elevated Mom Chao Laksamilawan to the rank of Pra Ong Chao, and became a Royal Highness, and married her in 1922. On 27 August 1922, the king held a celebration of his bestowment of the title of "Pra Nang Ther" to his wife, a title that is above that of a princess, but not yet quite a queen, of which I shall use the title of "Princess Consort". As much as he loved and adored her, the king's first priority was to produce an heir to the throne, and the princess was unable to do so. Another consort, Miss Prapai Sucharitkul, then became pregnant, which earned her the title of queen - Queen Indrasakdi Sachi. Sadly, the new queen lost her pregnancy three times. Meanwhile, Princess Laksami saw that her inability to produce an heir was, in fact, her not being to do her full duty as Royal Consort, she thus "retired" and moved to a simpler life outside the Royal Court. She moved to a small palace and lived her life as a poet and writing plays for the theatre, a gift that she inherited from her father, which was supported by her ex-husband, the king. She wrote the letter under her picture and sent to her husband that "I present the love that to be no more in this world for you".
After the king's death in 1925, she lived virtually alone with hardly a royal servant that were once in abundant when she was a Royal Consort. After the war, she received some money that was left to her by the king, and moved to another palace, Laksami Vilas Villa, on Sri Ayudhya Road. She became a noted writer, and translated many Western books under the name "Patama Varnpimol". Near the end of her life, she became a little sad with life and scolded the new generations for their modern behaviour that were seen by her generation as un-Siamese. Although extremely lonely, she tried to live her life in the ways that she thought best, and held her head high. She then became a virtual recluse in her palace, declining to receive any guests.
In the evening of 29 August 1961, a gardener of the Princess, wanting to steal her wealth left by the King, with a crowbar hit her head from her back while she was doing gardening until she dead. At that time she was 62 years of age. By the Princess's father, her dead body was found nearby a garage in the villa five days after the death. The murderer pledged the decorations stolen by him, not knowing what they were. Having seen this, the pawnshop owner informed the police. Having been arrested, the murderer confessed that he merely knew that the Princess was a member of the royal house, but not knowing that she held much higher rank than he thought.