Saovabha was born as a Princess of Siam to King
Mongkut (or Rama IV) and Princess Consort
Piyamavadi (Piam Sucharitakul). She was the youngest sister of the future Queen
Sunanda Kumariratana and Queen
Savang Vadhana. Saovabha became the consort of her half-brother King
Chulalongkorn sometime in 1878. She gave him 9 children, 5 would survive to adulthood (one died in infancy), two would eventually become King of Siam. In 1897, Queen Saovabha became the first female
Regent of Siam, when her husband went on a tour of Europe. When he returned he bestowed upon her the title of "Somdet Phra Nang Chao Saowapha Phongsi Praborommarachininat" (RTGS) () (roughly equivalent to H.M. the Queen Regent). During her time as queen, she took many interests, especially in the issues concerning women. In 1904 she established one of the first schools for girls in Siam; the "Rajini School" or Queen's School in Bangkok. She was a Buddhist adherent who had faith in Theravada Buddhism and prayed with the Hindu ritual ceremonies of the Suthasri Abiromya throne hall. When she died in 1919 at the age of 58, she was given a grand Royal Funeral, attended by all members of the Siamese Royal Family, and the ceremony was presided over by her son King Vajiravudh. She played a prominent posthumous role in the
1924 Palace Law of Succession, in which her son King Vajiravudh stipulated that her children would take precedent among all others over the line of succession. This guaranteed the accession of her youngest son Prince Prajadhipok to the throne in 1925, despite there being more senior and learned sons of Chulalongkorn. The
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute was named after her. == Children ==