Princess Anne celebrated the King’s official birthday in Thailand on Thursday.
His tribute was accompanied by a thoughtful personal gesture. For the reception, she wore a traditional Thai Yan Lipao clutch woven from lygodium and palm leaves.
The handcrafted 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.
At the reception, Anne gave a speech about the close relationship between the UK and Thailand, while drawing laughs by referencing England’s defeat to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final the day before.
Looking out at the audience, 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 call for that same vision.”
Anne added that although the result of a football match is just a brief moment, 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 her condolences to the Thai royal family following two recent losses.
Addressing the guests, the princess expressed her “deepest condolences” to King Vajiralongkorn on the passing of his mother, Queen Sirikit, and his eldest daughter, Princess Bajrakitiyabha.
“I worry that times of loss remind us of the importance of relationships and the values we all share,” Anne said.
