A Thai actress who transitioned from the silver screen to a royal marriage
In short: Born Yuvadhida Polpraserth, this former performer rose from teenage acting roles to become the second wife of the Thai crown prince. Her life journey spans a brief, high-profile career in cinema, a complex period within the royal household, and an eventual relocation to the United States following a dramatic separation.
Born in 1962 to a musician father, Sujarinee began her professional life as a teenager. By 1977, she was appearing in films like Sip ha yok yok sip hok mai yon, eventually retiring from the entertainment industry in August 1979. Her path shifted significantly in late 1978 when she met the crown prince, Vajiralongkorn, while he was still married to his first wife, Princess Soamsawali.
For years, she lived as his companion, bearing four sons and one daughter. Despite the lack of public acknowledgment, she occasionally performed royal duties, such as a 1987 visit to China. Her status remained unofficial until February 1994, when she and the crown prince married in a private palace ceremony. This union was sanctioned by the King and the Princess Mother, though the Queen, who had orchestrated the prince's first marriage, withheld her approval. Following the wedding, Sujarinee received the title of Mom Sujarinee Mahidol na Ayudhya and a commission as a major in the Royal Thai Army.
The marriage proved short-lived. In 1996, Sujarinee and her children departed for England amid accusations of infidelity leveled by the crown prince. Consequently, she and her sons faced exile, losing their royal designations and adopting the surname Vivacharawongse. While her sons were sent away, her daughter was returned to Thailand, where she later ascended to the rank of princess. Sujarinee eventually settled in the United States, marking the end of her tenure within the inner circles of the Thai monarchy.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sujarinee Vivacharawongse
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