he prince's delay in taking up the throne had generated various theories with little hard evidence behind them: that the prince was unsure he wanted to rule, or his enemies were trying to block him, or his sister might become queen instead.
The talk is muted in Thailand, where critical discussion of the succession can be deemed an insult to the monarchy and a criminal offense.
Diplomats have dismissed the speculation.
"From what we gather, there seem to be no problems with succession or any truth to rumors about possible rifts," one senior western diplomat told Reuters.
The prince's sister, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, 61, is highly respected because of her devotion to public service and is fondly referred to as Phra Thep, which means 'Princess Angel'.