In Paris, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand was appointed Grand Officier of the Légion d’honneur during a ceremony at the Ministère de la Culture of the French Republic.  

On January 26th, 2026, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, signed a decree awarding the honor in recognition of the Princess’s contributions to promoting French culture in Thailand and advancing cultural relations between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Thailand.

Established by Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte on May 19th, 1802, the Légion d’honneur remains the highest national order of the French Republic and is awarded in recognition of distinguished military or civil service to France.

The order is divided into three ranks: Chevalier, Officier, and Commandeur, along with two higher dignities: Grand Officier and Grand-Croix. The rank of Grand Officier is the second-highest dignity within the order.

According to the Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d’honneur, foreign nationals may receive the distinction in recognition of cultural, scientific, economic, or diplomatic contributions connected to the French Republic and French interests abroad.

The honour has historically been awarded to members of foreign royal families, heads of state, diplomats, and internationally prominent cultural figures as part of the French Republic’s broader diplomatic and cultural relations.

Several members of the Royal Family of Thailand have previously received the Légion d’honneur, including King Mongkut of Siam, who received the Grand-Croix in 1863, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who received the Grand-Croix in 1960, Princess Galyani Vadhana, who received the rank of Grand Officier in 2007, and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who also received the rank of Grand Officier.  

The honor comes as the French Republic and the Kingdom of Thailand mark the 170th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, as well as the 340th anniversary of the first recorded relations between Siam and France.