King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has died aged 88 after seven decades on the throne, proving to be a stabilising figure through a series of coups and rolling political turmoil, and was much revered.
He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on 5 December 1927 8.45am and had a 12th house, retiring and serious, Sun Saturn in Sagittarius. He had a ‘healing’ though private and self-protective Water Grand Trine of Jupiter in Pisces (conj Uranus) trine Mercury in Scorpio (conj Mars) trine Pluto – lucky, confident, utterly determined. His Venus in fair-minded Libra on his midheaven would allow him to come across as the diplomat par excellence. He also had a strained Yod of Neptune sextile MC Venus inconjunct Uranus – so he was a pivotal figure, who never felt he fitted in but once he found his track, by a quirk of fate, he would be an independent-minded leader. His father died when he was two and his brother ascended the throne some years later aged nine. Only when he died aged 18 in a mysterious shooting accident did Bhumibol Adulyadej succeed to the throne.
Catherine the Great of Russia also had a Yod in her chart, though hers was of a more brutal variety; as does Prince William though his is more cultured and dreamy. Maybe the sense of not fitting into the common mould helps monarchs with their out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles.