The nomination of Thailand’s princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi has sent shockwaves through the country’s political landscape.

Ubolratana is the first member of the royal family to run for the office, which is traditionally seen as above politics.

Ubolratana, 67, was born in Switzerland, but lived in the United States for 26 years, where she trained in biochemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a masters degree in public health from the University of California at Los Angeles.

She married American Peter Ladd Jensen in 1972, a decision which required her to give up her royal status. The pair divorced in 1998. Tragedy struck in 2004, when the pair’s son, Khun Bumi Jensen, died in the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Ubolratana moved back to Thailand in 2001, where she is now known as “Tunkramom Ying”, which means “Daughter to the Queen Regent”. She is treated by officials as a member of the royal family, although she is not covered by Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté laws, which make it a crime to offend the dignity of the royal family.

After returning to the country, she had a career as an actress, starring in Thai films Where The Miracle Happens (2008), My Best Bodyguard (2010) and Together (2012).

According to a party statement following her nomination, Ubolratana first became interested in politics when she led an anti-drug campaign among Thai youths and hosted a TV talk show giving advice to teenagers.

“After returning to reside in Thailand, she established the To Be Number One project to encourage Thai youth to stay away from drugs. She also travelled throughout Thailand and saw the people’s suffering,” an unofficial translation of the statement reads. “She is concerned and wishes to take part in lifting Thais out of poverty and giving them good futures.”

An active social media user, Ubolratana appeared in viral videos in 2017 singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. She again attracted attention when performing a pop song at a concert in 2018 and recently posted videos eating street food and complaining about pollution in Bangkok.

Thai Raksa Chart party leader, Preechapol Pongpanich, was reported as saying Ubolratana was “knowledgeable and highly suitable” for the candidacy after filing her registration at the Election Commission. The commission has until Friday next week to validate the legality of nominations.