BOY KING OF SIAM

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 35

BOY KING OF SIAM

Seldom in history can there have b'eeri a Jess ostentatious accession to a':throne than, that of nine-years--okl Prince Ananda, who became King of Siam recently (states a writer in the "Bail/Mail"). ■•■- - :

.■-•-■ One morning Prince Ananda, accompanied by his' mother, Princess Songkla Mahidol, arid his younger brother, Prince Pumipol;' took' a tramway-car to Chalet :a- Gobet,. _o'n-the. heights behind....,Lausanne,where they spent several hpurs m the' wonderful sunshine ski-ing. - • ■•■•

They returned to their flat in the afternoon to find that Prince Ananda had become a King.

■}r- % "Ijhad no idea that my son had * ;-.been proclaimed King until I received a telegram from the Bangkok Assembly on our return from ski-ing," said Princess Mahidol.

"Of course, it is too early yet to make any definite plans,- but in all probability my .son will stay.'here for some months at least, on account of his health. Later he may go to England."

The Princess said that, as far as she knew, no conditions had been placed by the Siamese Assembly on Prince Ananda's- accession, but his grandmother in Bangkok' was conducting negotiations with the Government.

■ Nothing final, however, could be decided'about the boy's future before the

arrival from London of the Siamese delegates who were sent to England to. induce the ex-King-to return to Siam.

"Ananda—or, rather, his Majesty"— said the Princess with a smile, "is just a simple boy like all the others in his school.. He is very fond of reading and of toy soldiers." :

When it was suggested that for the moment the importance of his hew position in life was possibly being kept from him, the Princess said:—

"No.. Sooner or later he has got to be told, so I have already broken it gently to him. He is only nine years of age, but. he already understands clearly some of- the difficulties of the task which lies before him. .

"Perhaps you would like to take' a peep at his Majesty," continued the Princess in perfect English. .

She led the way to a tiny bedroom where the new King and his brother, still in their sports suits, were lying on a bed resting after their exertions. ■ •

On my appearance' in the doorway King Ananda dropped the children's paper he was reading and greeted me with "Bon soir, M'sieu!"

"Congratulations to your Majesty on your accession to the Throne," I ventured: To which the world's latest and most diminutive ruler shyly, replied, "Merci!" ■