MEMBERS of a North-East Army regiment renewed links with the King of Siam after their unlikely bond came to light.

In 1899, the grandson of King Rama VI - the King of Siam in the musical The King and I - was attached to the 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in Aldershot.

He represented his father, Rama V, on several occasions including Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee and funeral, and the coronations of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

In 1910, on the death of Rama V, he acceded the throne as Rama VI - but never forgot the DLI's friendliness or acceptance of him.

Last Wednesday members of the regiment, accompanied by the 68th Re-enactment Society, met Ronobir Lahiri who played Rama IV in the King and I at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. Major Randal Cross, secretary of the Light Infantry in Durham, said: "He (Rama VI) took great interest in the DLI's progress during the Great War and showed his depth of feeling by sending substantial sums of money for the wives and children of officers and men who had been killed in action.

"King George V acknowledged King Rama VI's friendship and his association with the British Army by asking him to become an honorary general and wear the uniform of the DLI.

"In accepting the honour, King Rama VI asked King George V to become a general in his army."

Dominic Stokes, general manager of the Empire Theatre, said: "It's a fantastic coincidence that the biggest show to hit Sunderland and the North-East for a long time had a link with the North-East."