Sisowath Kossamak

Queen consort of Cambodia

9 April 1904 Phnom Penh, Cambodia, French Indochina

27 April 1975(1975-04-27) (71) Beijing, China

NamesSisowath Monivong Kossamak Nearirath Serey Vathana

In this Cambodian name, the surname is Sisowath. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Kossamak. Queen consort of Cambodia Sisowath KossamakPortrait of Sisowath KossamakQueen consort of CambodiaTenure2 March 1955 – 3 April 1960Coronation6 March 1956Born9 April 1904 Phnom Penh, Cambodia, French IndochinaDied27 April 1975(1975-04-27) (aged 71) Beijing, ChinaSpouseNorodom Suramarit ​ ​(m. 1920; died 1960)​IssueNorodom SihanoukHouseSisowath (by birth) Norodom (by marriage) FatherSisowath MonivongMotherNorodom Kanviman Norleak TeviReligionTheravada Buddhism Sisowath Kossamak (Khmer: ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសមៈ ; 9 April 1904 – 27 April 1975) was the Queen consort of Cambodia by marriage to King Norodom Suramarit from 1955 to his death in 1960. After her husband's death, her son Norodom Sihanouk again succeeded to the throne as chief of state, but now with the title Prince instead of King, while Queen Kossamak kept the title of Queen and played an important public representational rule during her son's reign in 1960-1970. Sisowath Kossamak was born Princess of Cambodia as the daughter of King Sisowath Monivong and his wife Norodom Kanviman Norleak Tevi. Her official title was Preah Mohaksatreiyani Sisowath Monivong Kossamak Nearirath Serey Vathana (Khmer: ព្រះមហាក្សត្រិយានី ស៊ីសុវត្ថិមុនីវង្ស កុសុមៈនារីរ័ត្នសេរីវឌ្ឍនា ). Upon the death of Monivong in 1941, Sihanouk took the throne. In 1955, he abdicated in favor of his father Suramarit, who then reigned for five years. After her husband's death, Kossamak kept her title of Queen and continued to function as the symbol and representative of the monarchy while Sihanouk assumed his position as monarch, but titled as Prince rather than King. Contrary to what has sometimes been alleged, she was never a monarch, as female succession was forbidden in the constitution. After the coup of 1970, Kossamak was placed under arrest, but retained her title before being stripped of all status during the formal proclamation of the republic in October 1970. She remained under house arrest until her health declined in 1973, and she was allowed to join her son in China. Kossamak died in Beijing on 27 April 1975, ten days after the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh.