A HOUSE BY THE RIVER

Ban Chakrabongse

Description

Katya and the Prince of Siam is the story of an ultimately tragic love affair and marriage between a beautiful young woman from Kyiv and 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 arrival in Siam. 

At first an outcast in Thai society (no son of the King had ever married a foreigner before), Ekaterina Ivanovna Desnitskaya, or Mom Katerin as she became known, gradually became loved and respected. 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 her solo trip abroad, the marriage became strained and ended in divorce in 1919. Katya went to live in China and her son Prince Chula to study in England.

Making use of much hitherto unpublished archive material such as letters, diaries and photographs, the book gives a fascinating insight into life in both pre-revolutionary Russia and the Siamese court. This completely revised edition draws on new letters and diaries, shining new light on these two remarkable characters and their close circle.