 She was of Mon descent.When her father died at only 27 years, her grandfather—the king—took her and her sister Phannarai to the Grand Palace and they were said to be his favourite grandchildren.In 1853, Ramphoei married her great-uncle Mongkut (who was 30 years her senior) and was raised to a "Phra Ong Chao" (a higher rank of princess).