Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died on 2 January, 2008, aged 84, after a long illness. She had been in hospital since June, after doctors found she had abdominal cancer.

Her death came after the 80-year-old king himself recovered from the symptoms of a stroke after being admitted to hospital for three weeks in October. Both were tended to at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital.

The late princess was noted for her interest in the arts, especially theatre and classical music, a taste cultivated when she, like the king, was educated in Switzerland, where she spent much time until later life. She spoke five languages and loved to travel, documenting many of her journeys in books.

Princess Galyani was the oldest child of Prince Mahidol - a son of King Chulalongkorn - and his commoner wife, Sangwal. All three of their children were born abroad, where Prince Mahidol traveled and studied medicine.

HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana was born in London on May 6, 1923. The family's early life was difficult, with Prince Mahidol dying in 1929, leaving his wife to raise the three children alone.

After Thailand's absolute monarchy was abolished following a 1932 coup d'etat, Sangwal and her children moved to Switzerland to be away from the maelstrom of politics.

In 1935, Princess Galyani's other brother, Ananda, was named King, though he was to spend most of the next decade, including the Second World War, in neutral Switzerland.

Tragedy struck the family again, when Ananda, back on a visit to Thailand in 1946, was found shot dead in his bedroom in the Grand Palace under circumstances that have never been cleared up. Bhumibol succeeded him as king and is now the world's longest reigning monarch.

Princess Galyani married Col Aram Ratanakul Serireungriddhi, a royal aide but a commoner, in 1944, which meant she had to give up the royal title she was awarded in 1935.

The couple had a daughter but were divorced in 1949. The royal title was restored by Bhumibol in 1950, after the divorce. She married again in 1969 to Prince Varananda.

Princess Galyani was survived by her daughter from her first marriage and a grandson.