Thailand's crown prince has divorced his wife, in a dramatic fall from grace for a princess at a time of heightened anxiety over the health of the country's revered but ailing monarch.

A statement published by the palace yesterday in the Royal Gazette said Princess Srirasmi had relinquished her royal status, a move that ends her 13-year marriage to Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.[File photo]

A statement published by the palace yesterday in the Royal Gazette said Princess Srirasmi had relinquished her royal status, a move that ends her 13-year marriage to Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

The rare public airing of palace intrigue comes after a string of the princess' relatives were arrested in a high-profile corruption scandal that has sent shockwaves through Thailand's elite.

The couple has a 9-year-old son who was thought to be Prince Vajiralongkorn's most likely heir.

"The king has granted permission to announce that Princess Srirasmi, the wife of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has informed in a written document that she has resigned from her royal status," the palace said.

Analysts said the 62-year-old crown prince's split from his wife will deepen fears for the monarchy's future as Thailand's 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej enters the twilight of his reign.

Thailand has been awash with rumors of Srirasmi's fate after a slew of her relatives were caught up in a widening corruption scandal. Several high-profile figures have been arrested including senior policemen and military officers.

Many of the more than 20 detained have been charged for defaming the monarchy, with police saying they had made "false claims" about their relationship to a royal.

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