Thai king dismisses consort for undermining the queen

Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi was announced as consort three months ago

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Thailand’s king has stripped his royal noble consort of her titles and military ranks for disloyalty, accusing her of seeking to undermine the position of his official wife for her own benefit.

Sixty-seven-year-old King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s royal command issued Monday came just three months after he granted 34-year-old Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi the consort title, reviving an old palace tradition of taking a junior wife.

The royal palace then released a selection of images of the former army nurse, showing her firing a weapon, piloting a plane, and preparing to parachute from a plane.

Ms Sineenatra had her title of Chao Khun Phra Sineenatra Bilasakalayani withdrawn, along with other royal and military titles and decorations.

In May, the king named longtime companion Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya his queen when they were married a few days before his formal coronation. Both the 41-year-old Suthida and Sineenatra have served as senior officers in palace security units.

Vajiralongkorn had three previous marriages.

(FILES) In this file undated handout from the Thai Royal Household Bureau released on May 17, 2019, Thailand's Queen Suthida is seen in an official portrait. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has stripped his 34-year-old consort of all titles, the palace announced October 21, a shock move less than three months after she was bestowed with a position that had not been used for nearly a century. - -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO /THAI ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS  
 / AFP / Thai Royal Household Bureau / Handout / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO /THAI ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
Thailand's Queen Suthida. AFP