Princess Anne celebrated the King’s official birthday in Thailand on Thursday.
Her tribute was accompanied by a thoughtful personal gesture. For the reception celebrating, she carried a traditional Thai Yan Lipao clutch bag woven from lygodium and palm leaves.
The handmade bag, a gift from the Sustainable Arts and Crafts Institute of Thailand.
The Princess Royal attended a reception hosted by the British Embassy with Sir Tim Laurence joining her for the event at the Four Seasons Hotel.
During the reception, Anne gave a speech reflecting on the close relationship between Great Britain and Thailand, while also drawing laughs in reference to England’s defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final the previous evening.
Looking out at the crowd, the princess joked: “I’m not sure who stayed up late to watch the football game last night.”
She then added with a smile: “Sometimes international relations require a long-term perspective, and I think our hopes for football also require the same point of view.”
Anne went on to say that although the result of a football match is only a brief moment in time, the sport itself has a much bigger role to play in bringing people together and encouraging understanding between different countries.
She also used her speech to offer condolences to Thailand’s royal family after two recent losses.
Addressing guests, the princess expressed her “deepest condolences” to King Vajiralongkorn on the deaths of his mother, Queen Sirikit, and his eldest daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha.
“I fear in moments of loss we are reminded of the importance of relationships and the values that we all share,” Anne said.
