The prince in question would be Crown Prince Vajiravudh (1881-1925), who
became King of Siam (now Thailand) in 1910. He was educated in Britain, first at Sandhurst from
1892 and then at Christ Church Oxford - it is possible he was still up at Oxford at the time
when this film was taken. Subsequently he served briefly with the British Army
before returning to Siam in 1903. The Prince was on a visit to Port
Sunlight with the radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, and they would have taken this route across the Mersey to the nearby New Ferry on the Wirral Peninsular. On the same trip they visited the S.S. Lucania to inspect the new wireless telegraphy equipment.
Complete film (2:37)
