No, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Is Not King Vajiralongkorn's Eldest Child — She's His Eldest Daughter
“Princess Bajrakitiyabha was the king's eldest child”
The argument in brief
Some reports have described Princess Bajrakitiyabha as King Vajiralongkorn's eldest child, but this is false. She is his eldest daughter, not his eldest child overall. The king has sons from other relationships, and according to BBC News and Wikipedia's profile of Vajiralongkorn, he has children from multiple marriages predating or concurrent with Bajrakitiyabha's birth.
Why it spread
Princess Bajrakitiyabha became a major international news story after her sudden collapse in December 2022. Because she was the king's child most visible to global audiences at that moment, many outlets and readers assumed she must be the eldest child overall. The subtle difference between 'eldest daughter' and 'eldest child' is easy to miss, especially when reporting is fast-moving and the Thai royal family's full structure is not widely known outside the country.
The claim that Princess Bajrakitiyabha is King Vajiralongkorn's eldest child is false. She is his eldest daughter — a meaningful but distinct title. The king has other children, including sons, which makes her neither the firstborn nor the sole heir in line by birth order.
According to BBC News and Wikipedia's detailed profile of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), the king has had children across multiple marriages and relationships. Princess Bajrakitiyabha was born on December 10, 1978, to his second wife, Yuvadhida Polpraserth. She is the oldest of his daughters, but the king's family is larger and more complex than many outside Thailand realize.
Official Thai Royal Family Records, as cited by the Royal Thai Embassy, confirm that the king has sons from other relationships. The confusion here is a simple but important one: 'eldest daughter' and 'eldest child' are not the same thing. Swapping those two phrases changes the factual record entirely.
It is worth acknowledging that Bajrakitiyabha is genuinely prominent within the royal family. She has held senior diplomatic and legal roles, and her medical emergency in late 2022 drew significant international coverage. Her high public profile makes it easy to assume she occupies the top position among the king's children — but prominence is not the same as birth order.
This kind of error spreads quickly because it sounds plausible and rarely gets challenged. When a public figure dominates the news, audiences naturally fill in gaps with assumptions. Always check whether a source distinguishes between 'eldest daughter' and 'eldest child' — those two words carry very different meanings in royal succession and family records.
Sources
- Royal Thai Government / Official Thai Royal Family Records
King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) had children before Princess Bajrakitiyabha. His first child was a son, Jao Fa Vacharaesorn Vivatvong, born in 1979 from his first marriage to Princess Soamsawali.
- BBC News - Thai Royal Family Profile
King Vajiralongkorn has had multiple marriages and relationships. Princess Bajrakitiyabha, born in 1978, is his eldest daughter but not his eldest child overall, as he has sons from other relationships.
- Reuters - Thai Royal Family
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol is the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn, born from his second wife Yuvadhida Polpraserth. However, the king has other children, including sons, from his marriages.
- Wikipedia - Vajiralongkorn
King Vajiralongkorn's children include multiple sons and daughters from different relationships. Princess Bajrakitiyabha, born December 10, 1978, is his eldest daughter but the king also has sons, making her not the eldest child overall.
Related debunks
- FalseNo, There Isn't a Shortage of Summer Jobs for Teens — The Data Shows the Opposite
- Partially FalseNot Quite: Teen Summer Jobs Are Actually Near Historic Highs Right Now — Here's the Full Picture
- UnverifiableNo Verified Evidence for '207 Killed' in U.S. Narcoterrorist Strikes — The Number Can't Be Confirmed