Princess of Thailand Katia Desnica: Russian girl for whom the Prince Chakrabon renounced polygamy

17-year-old orphan Katya Desnica he studied in St. Petersburg at the courses of sisters of mercy and wanted to go to the front. But in 1905, at social events, she met a young man who was a Prince Chakrabon, son of the king of Siam (now Thailand). He proposed to her, and the young left the home of the groom. So a Russian girl became a Princess of Thailand. However, where it has long been recognized.

Ekaterina Desnitskaya and Prince Chakrabon

In the summer of 1897 king of Siam traveled to Europe and decided to travel to Russia. Nicholas II gave him a warm welcome in St. Petersburg and has offered to send one of his sons to study in Russia. Prince Chakrabon took advantage of this offer, he soon was enrolled in the Imperial corps of pages, where I studied young men from noble families. After that, Chakrabon continued her studies at the Academy of the General staff and graduated with the rank of Colonel of the Russian army.

Prince Chakrabon with a friend and mentor during his studies at the page corps

Katie's parents died when she was a child. Together with his brother they moved from Kiev to Petersburg. It was the Russian-Japanese war, and she decided after graduation to go to the front as a nurse. Her decision has not changed even a fateful meeting with a Siamese Prince, she went to the far East. Every day the Prince covered it and begged to come back.

Russian girl who conquered the heart of the Prince of Siam

Katerina Desnica returned to St. Petersburg with three awards for "undaunted courage", including the George cross. But the biggest reward was waiting for her upon return — Prince Chakrabon proposed to her. The wedding took place in Constantinople — where permitted marriages between people of different faiths. In the Siamese Kingdom, the Prince came back with my wife.

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The parents of the Prince did not approve of this Union: they thought he ruined the Royal blood by marrying nerodigital a foreigner, and had violated their ancient traditions, because their dynasty was made to enter into marriages with representatives of Grand relatives. Chakrabon was devoid of contents and excluded from the number of heirs to the throne. He earned a living on their own — as head of the military school. Despite the difficulties, the couple was very happy and live in love and harmony. For Catherine, the Prince renounced polygamy — the first Royal dynasty.

The Palace of Prince Chakrabon in Bangkok

Over time, thanks to the calm, submissive, and meek temper of Catherine noble relatives of Chakrabon resigned to the circumstances and adopted a daughter. This contributed to the birth of their son in 1908. The Prince became chief of staff of the Thai army and later the founder of the air force of the country. And Katherine took the name of the Princess In Phitsanulok and became the most welcome guest of the best houses in Bangkok. She has mastered the Thai language, fluent in English, French and German.

Chakrabon Prince and Princess In Phitsanulok (Ekaterina Desnitskaya)

But happiness did not last long. In 1920 Prince Chakrabon died. The year before the couple divorced — due to the discovered her husband's infidelity. Ekaterina Desnitskaya was forced to leave Thailand. Son she gave, and she went alone. In Russia the woman are unable to return because of the revolution and the civil war. She settled in France, where he lived until his death in 1960. And the descendants of the Russian Princess and the Siamese Prince still live in Thailand.

Katerina Desnica and Prince Chakrabon son

The love story of a Russian girl and a Thai Prince is described in several literary works — in the "Distant years" by K. Paustovsky, in the novel by G. Vostokova "Jade elephant" in the story by V. Shklovsky, "image captions" in the book of their granddaughter — Thai Princess Narissa Chakrabon — "Katya and the Prince of Siam." In 2011, this book in the Yekaterinburg theatre of Opera and ballet was staged ballet of the same name.

Catherine Chakrabon Desnica son

Chakrabon Prince and Princess In Phitsanulok (Ekaterina Desnitskaya) son

Ekaterina Desnitskaya son

Ekaterina Desnitskaya and Prince Chakrabon