The Queen Who Bridged Worlds: Farewell to Queen Sirikit of Thailand

Thailand is mourning the loss of Queen Sirikit, the country’s much-loved “Mother of the Nation”, who passed away on 24 October 2025 at the age of 93. Graceful, compassionate and quietly strong, she was one of the most admired figures in modern Thai history. Her life reflected deep devotion to her people, her culture, and her role as Thailand’s bridge to the world.

More than sixty years ago, in August 1962, Queen Sirikit brought that same warmth and dignity to New Zealand when she and King Bhumibol Adulyadej became the first Thai royals to visit the country. The visit was simple and sincere, remembered for kindness rather than ceremony, and helped build an early friendship between Thailand and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Photos from the National Library of New Zealand capture moments from the royal tour: the couple arriving at Wellington Airport, visiting the Dental Training School on Willis Street, meeting the then Prime Minister Keith Holyoake and Wellington’s Mayor Sir Frank Kitts at a luncheon in Parliament Buildings, and greeting orchestra leader Vincent Aspey. Other images show Lady Cobham farewelling the Queen in Christchurch as the royal couple left for Australia.

The Otago Daily Times in 2022 recalled their stop in Dunedin, where more than a thousand people gathered at the airport to see them, with some even climbing onto cars and fences to get a better view. The King and Queen also attended a rugby match at Carisbrook Stadium, watching from a royal box decorated with flowers and ferns. Locals remembered her as elegant, poised and radiant. One spectator fondly joked that many of the men barely watched the rugby that day.

The photos and memories of the 1962 visit tell a story of warmth and genuine connection.

A Life of Grace and Service

Born Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara in Bangkok on 12 August 1932, she was the daughter of Prince Nakkhatra Mangala Kitiyakara, Thailand’s senior diplomat in Europe, and Mom Luang Bua Snidvongs. She met King Bhumibol while studying in Paris, and they married in 1950, just days before his coronation.

When the King entered monkhood in 1956, Queen Sirikit served as Regent of Thailand, one of the few women in the country’s history to take on that sacred duty. It was an early sign of her quiet strength and deep sense of duty.

As Nikkei Asia reported, Queen Sirikit became one of the most influential women of the Cold War era. With her beauty, confidence and charm, she helped shape Thailand’s modern image abroad. She and the King became the youthful, hopeful faces of the nation’s diplomacy, travelling widely to strengthen Thailand’s place in a changing world.

The “Mother of the Nation”

Over the decades, Queen Sirikit’s compassion touched millions. Through her Support Foundation, she promoted traditional weaving, silk production and rural crafts, helping women in villages build independent livelihoods. “Our purpose,” she once said, “is to help them help themselves.”

Her birthday, 12 August, was declared Mother’s Day in Thailand, and she came to symbolise kindness, patience and cultural pride. To the world, she was a queen of elegance. To her people, she was a mother who cared deeply for their wellbeing.

A Lasting Legacy

Queen Sirikit’s passing has united the country in grief. The Thai government announced a year of mourning, with flags at half-mast and tributes across the nation. As Nikkei Asia noted, her death marks the end of an era and offers a moment of reflection for a country she helped guide with grace and compassion.

Her legacy continues through the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, and countless projects that support rural communities. And in New Zealand, her 1962 visit remains a gentle reminder of her belief that true diplomacy begins with respect, empathy and a warm human touch.

-Asia Media Centre