Daily Archives: April 6, 2026

Malaysian monarchy, Royal Family of Johor

A New Princess Is Born: Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Idris and Che’ Puan Khaleeda of Johor Welcome a Baby Girl

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  • Portrait courtesy of the Office of His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris of Johor
  • Press release courtesy of the Jumaah Majlis Diraja Johor
  • His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the 15th King of Malaysia

This morning, the Jumaah Majlis Diraja Johor (The Royal Council of Johor) announced the birth of a daughter to His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris, the Regent of Johor and Her Highness Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda of Johor.

According to a formal proclamation issued by the Royal Council, the Princess was born on Sunday, April 5th, 2026. Both mother and daughter are reported to be in good health. The name of the child has not yet been announced.

The announcement was made in accordance with the command of His Royal Highness the Regent of Johor, with the Royal Council conveying prayers for the continued health, happiness, and enduring prosperity of the royal family of Johor.

The newborn Princess is the fifth child of His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris, the Regent of Johor and Her Highness Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda of Johor, and the seventh grandchild of Their Majesties Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah.

Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar is the Sultan of Johor, a hereditary Malay state located in the southernmost region of Peninsular Malaysia, bordering the Republic of Singapore. 

On January 31st, 2024, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar acceded to the throne as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) under the country’s unique rotational monarchy system, in which the rulers of the nine Malay states serve five-year terms as the federal constitutional sovereign.

Royal Family of Thailand

Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand to Deliver a Lecture on Thai Traditional Dress and Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands

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  • Portrait courtesy of the office of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand

This morning, it was announced that Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand is scheduled to undertake a series of cultural engagements from April 9th to 10th, 2026, in Den Haag, Netherlands, centered on the international presentation of Thai national costume and textile heritage.

At Hotel Des Indes, the Princess will deliver a lecture titled The Evolution of Thai Traditional Dress and Thai Textiles on April 9th, as part of an academic forum focused on Thai royal costume and the transmission of related knowledge. The lecture will be accompanied by presentations illustrating the eight recognized forms of Chud Thai, placing their development within the broader historical context of Thai design and craftsmanship.

The following day, the Princess will preside over the opening of the exhibition Chud Thai: Knowledge, Craftsmanship and Practices of the Thai National Costume, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand. The exhibition brings together both ceremonial and contemporary interpretations of Thai dress, including pieces from the Princess’s own collection, alongside works by master artisans representing key textile traditions such as Mudmee, Prae Wa, and Yok brocade, as well as weaving practices associated with the Kingdom of Thailand’s highland communities. Demonstrations of traditional techniques will also form part of the program.

The lecture and exhibition form part of a broader state-supported initiative to promote Thai cultural heritage internationally. The program builds on the long-standing efforts of the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, to preserve and promote Thai national dress, while reflecting the Princess’s continued role in bringing Thai textiles to a global audience.

The initiative also aligns with the Kingdom of Thailand’s ongoing efforts to secure inscription of Chud Thai on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with consideration expected in 2026. In this context, the Thai national costume is presented not only as a historical tradition but as a living cultural form that continues to evolve.