Barbara Tribe, FRBS (1913-2000), HRH Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Thailand, bronze portrait head

the green patinated model signed, titled and dated 1972 in the bronze, mounted to a hardwood plinth base with Mall Galleries label to underside
25cm high (31cm high overall)

The only child of Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath and his Ukrainian wife, Ekaterina Desnitskaya, Prince Chula Chakrabongse is known not only as a member of the Siamese Royal Family and Chakri Dynasty of Thailand, but also as an eminent historian and one of the most significant exponents of British motor racing.

Born in 1908 at the Paruskavan Palace, Bangkok, the infant Prince Chula was originally bestowed with the title ‘Mom Chao’ (His Serene Highness), before being elevated to the higher rank of ‘Phra Chao Worawongse The Phra Ong’ (His Royal Highness Prince) by his uncle, King Vajiravudh. Like his father, who received his education in England and Russia, Prince Chula spent most of his youth away from Thailand, studying at Harrow School and, later, graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge with a Bachelor and Master’s degree in history. After briefly returning to Thailand upon the completion of his studies, in 1938, Prince Chula married Elisabeth Curling (nee Hunter), and in 1956 the pair had their first and only child, a daughter, named Mom Rajawongse Narisa Chakrabhongse.

In addition to his passion for chronicling the lives of historic Thai monarchs, Prince Chula was also known for his enduring love of motor racing. Prince Chula began his foray into motor racing in 1927, as supervisor of the White Mouse Racing team. It was not until the appointment of Chula’s cousin, Prince Bira, in 1935, however, that White Mouse Racing began to make an impact on the motor racing scene. During his first year of driving, Prince Chula presented his cousin with an R2B, one of the new generation ERA voiturette racing cars. In this vehicle, which was nicknamed Romulus, the pair enjoyed consistent success. In the following year, Prince Chula purchased a second ERA, a chassis R5B, named Remus. Under Chula’s supervision and behind the wheel of Romulus and Remus, Bira was awarded the Coupe de Prince Rainier at Monte Carlo and won four further races during the season.

Away from the track, Prince Chula was also recognised as an accomplished writer, authoring both books on motoring - including an acclaimed biography of the Champion driver, Dick Seaman - and several important historic texts on the Thai Royal Family, such as Lords of Life and The Royal Family of Thailand, both of which have become important touchstones in Thai culture and education.

Completed nine years after his early death in 1963, aged just 55, the present lot demonstrates Prince Chula’s mixed Thai and European heritage, a feature which would have been unusual at the time.