Like the Rising Dawn Musical Marks 100 Years of Royal Duties for Medical Funds
The Prajadhipok-Rambhai Barni Foundation and Mahidol University Foundation held a musical celebrating 100 years of royal duties to raise funds for medicine and education.
The Prajadhipok-Rambhai Barni Foundation, together with the Mahidol University Foundation, organised the royal tribute musical performance “Like the Rising Dawn: Rambhai Barni, the Royal Lady of Siam” under the concept The Resilient Queen to portray the life of Her Majesty Queen Rambhai Barni, Queen of King Rama VII. The event was held on the occasion of UNESCO honouring the 100th anniversary of her royal duties in education, social development and gender equality from 1926 to 2026. Proceeds will go towards supporting Prapokklao Hospital, Prapokklao Nursing College in Chanthaburi, and the Living Drug Factory Project at Mahidol University under the Mahidol Foundation for Sustainability Fund.
Tracing a Royal Love Story and a Major Turning Point for the Country
The performance combines music, theatre and historical film to revisit the youthful romance of Mom Chao Rambhai Barni, who married His Royal Highness Prince Prajadhipok Sakdidej, Krom Khun Sukhothai Dharmaraja, in 1918 at the age of 14. The audience saw historical anecdotes regarding the marriage registration, wedding favours and the devotion of King Rama VII, who remained monogamous with the Queen as his sole consort. In addition, archival film footage following the accession to the throne in 1925 showed royal visits to the public across various regions by train, car and boat.
A major turning point occurred during the change of government in 1932 while they were residing at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin. When King Rama VII was invited to return to Bangkok, Queen Rambhai Barni remarked, “Even if we go back to die, it does not matter; we must have dignity and integrity,” reflecting her courage in standing beside her royal consort. After King Rama VII abdicated in 1934, the two lived modestly in England until the King passed away in 1941 during the Second World War.
From Loss to the Advancement of Medicine and Education
The royal cremation ceremony in England was held simply in accordance with the King's wishes, accompanied by a violin performance of his favourite piece, Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Mvt. II by Felix Mendelssohn. Despite losing her husband amidst the war, Queen Rambhai Barni joined volunteer efforts preparing relief supplies to help others. Upon returning to Thailand in 1949, she applied her knowledge to develop education, livelihoods and public health in Chanthaburi province.
The event also depicted the fundraising efforts to build an operating theatre for Prapokklao Hospital and the staging of charity plays to address limitations in medical treatment, before concluding with the song “Like the Light of Rambhai”, sung by Chalatit, which summed up the story of a woman who overcame obstacles and passed on values to society, remaining an inspiration to the present day.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Performance Title | Like the Rising Dawn: Rambhai Barni, the Royal Lady of Siam |
| Organisers | Prajadhipok-Rambhai Barni Foundation and Mahidol University Foundation |
| Key Occasion | UNESCO 100th anniversary honour (1926 to 2026) |
| Beneficiaries | Prapokklao Hospital, Prapokklao Nursing College Chanthaburi, Living Drug Factory Project at Mahidol University |
This news is suitable for event organisers interested in historical storytelling through music, theatrical performance and archival film, as well as hotel professionals in Hua Hin and Chanthaburi who can share these historical insights with their guests. It is also of interest to travellers looking to learn about history while supporting public health and education initiatives.