Bangkok: Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn stripped his Royal Noble Consort of her titles and military ranks for disloyalty on Monday, accusing her of seeking to undermine the position of his wife, Queen Suthida, for her own benefit.
The 67-year-old king's royal command, issued on Monday, came just three months after he granted 34-year-old Sineenatra Wongvajirabhakdi the consort title, reviving an old tradition of taking a junior wife.
Sineenatra had her royal title of Chao Khun Phra Sineenatra Bilasakalayani withdrawn, along with other royal and military titles and decorations.
In August the palace website published a series of glossy photographs of her performing military duties, such as flying a plane and undertaking a parachute jump, as well as standing beside the King dressed in camouflage fatigues.
The website crashed shortly after they appeared, possibly due to a surge in demand from a startled public.
The king in May named longtime companion Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya his queen when they were married a few days before his formal coronation.
Both the 41-year-old Suthida and Sineenatra have served as senior officers in palace security units. Vajiralongkorn had three previous marriages.
Read also: Rare images of Thai King, royal consort released
