Brighter than thousand emeralds. Exhibition in Kyiv is dedicated to famous Ukrainian Katerina Desnitskaya - the wife of the Prince of Thailand

On the 31-st of May at the National Museum named after Taras Shevchenko with the support of the Consulate of the Kingdom of Thailand in Ukraine the exhibition "Katerina of Thailand. Exhibition about the fate and love of Katya Desnitskaya". The opening of the exhibition was marked by the presentation of the book by the publishing house "Pinzel" about the fate of the legendary Ukrainian woman.

The Ukrainian public heard about the life periods of Katerina Desnitskaya by the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Thailand in Ukraine Mikhail Radutsky. Welcoming speech was also taken by Diana Popova, Head of the Department of Culture of KSCA, Dmitry Stus, Director of Taras Shevchenko National Museum.

The beginning of XX century. Katya Desnitskaya is fifteen years old. She still did not know the hardships of life and spent happy days with her mother and older brother. While no one was able to shake her confidence in sunny days. But cloudless happiness cannot last forever. The mother died, and the children decided to move, this is how Katya and Ivan appeared in St. Petersburg. The girl entered the school and graduated from the courses of the sisters of mercy. That time she said that her mission was to help people. She intended to go to the front, and the hardships of military life did not frighten her. But one day at a social party she met the prince of Thailand, and this meeting became fateful.

It was said that the Siamese prince fell in love with Katya Desnitskaya at first sight. He offered his hand and heart. But the girl had other plans, and despite the flared up love, Katya went to the front.

Prince Chakrabon wrote letters to her every day, begged him to return. He warned of the danger, was afraid that someone's treacherous shot would break the life of his beloved. But fate decreed otherwise. Katya Desnitskaya really returned, with three well-deserved awards "for undaunted courage". The Prince made an offer, and the happy newlyweds arrived in Thailand. But there they were awaited by a new test.

The prince's parents were amazed. Their son broke traditions of a century ago, refused to accept polygamy in that environment and did not want to marry a woman from the royal family. Chakrabon's choice was seen as a personal insult. Still, for the sake of the beautiful Ukrainian, he disobeyed his parents, went against their will ... and therefore lost the opportunity to claim the throne. But several years passed. Kind nature and soft nature of Katya Desnitskaya did the impossible. Parents fell in love with the girl and confessed: in fact, they approved the choice of the son.

In her turn, Katya counted with the traditions of Thailand. She agreed to take the second, exotic name - Na Pitsanulok. She learned Thai, spoke fluently with diplomats from different countries in English, German and French. Her erudition and ability to solve any problem caused genuine delight and admiration. But everything comes to an end, and love is not an exception.

The princess learned about the betrayal of her husband and filed for divorce. Then the events developed catastrophically fast. The royal family took care of the son of Katie and Chakrabona left in Thailand. Desnitskaya had to leave. A year after the divorce in 1920, the prince died.

The story of Katya Desnitskaya inspired writers, among whom there were Konstantin Paustovsky, Viktor Shklovsky, Lev Kassil ... The moments of life of the famous Ukrainian are played out in many literary works.