Katya & the Prince of Siam

Book excerpt: Katya and The Prince of Siam is the story of an ultimately tragic love affair and marriage between a beautiful young Russian girl from Kiev and an eastern prince, HRH Prince Chakrabongse of Siam, one of King Chulalongkorn's favourite sons. It tells of their meeting in St. Petersburg, their elopement to marry in Constantinople and their journey and arrival in Siam. At first an outcast in Thai society (no son of the King had ever married a foreigner before), Ekaterina Ivonovna Desnitsky, or Mom Katerin as she became known, gradually gained love and respect. In 1908 they had a son, Prince Chula and for the next ten years enjoyed a happy life in Bangkok society as well as making various trips abroad and throughout Siam. However, following the Russian Revolution and trip abroad on her own, the marriage became strained and ended in divorce in 1919. More tragedy was to follow, leaving Prince Chula, aged 12, to face an education in England alone. Making use of much hitherto unpublished archive material such as letters, diaries and photographs, the book gives a fascinating insight into the life in both pre-revolutionary Russia and the Siamese court.