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Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand Appointed Grand Officier of the Légion d’honneur by Decree of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron

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  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand

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.

Royal Family of Thailand

Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand to Open Landmark Paris Exhibition Celebrating Royal Thai Dress and Queen Sirikit’s Legacy

  • Photo courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand

On Friday, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand concluded a three-day visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where she presided over a series of engagements focused on Thai national dress and textile traditions.

The program included the opening of the Thailand Gallery at the Royal Thai Embassy, a lecture on the development of Thai traditional dress and textiles, and the inauguration of the exhibition Chud Thai: Knowledge, Craftsmanship and Practices of the Thai National Costume at Hotel Des Indes in Den Haag.

Following these engagements, the Princess, as Patron, is preparing for the forthcoming exhibition, La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress: From Tradition to Modernity, to be held from May 13th to November 1st, 2026, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France.

More than 200 garments and related items will be presented, including royal dress, accessories, and textile works associated with the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, alongside contemporary interpretations of traditional design. It will also include all eight recognized forms of Chud Thai Phra Ratcha Niyom, the royally endorsed national costume.

The exhibition focuses on the development of Thai court dress over time, with particular attention to the role of the late Queen Sirikit in shaping its modern form. Garments created by the French fashion house, Balmain, for the Queen, with embroidery by Maison Lesage, are included as part of the exhibition material.

In January 2026, in preparation for the exhibition, Princess Sirivannavari visited the archives of the House of Balmain in Paris, where she researched hundreds of couture garments designed and created by Balmain for the late Queen Sirikit. The research supported the curation of the exhibition, which explores the relationship between Thai royal tradition and haute couture, particularly the long-standing collaboration between the late Queen Sirikit and the House of Balmain. 

The exhibition is being presented to mark the 170th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the French Republic and aligns with Thailand’s ongoing submission of Chud Thai for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity maintained by UNESCO, with consideration expected in 2026.