Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej was crowned king on May 5, 1950. News of the 88-year-old's death was announced Thursday, October 13, via a statement from the Royal Palace read on state TV. He was the world's longest-reigning living monarch.

Bhumibol, left, is pictured in 1935 with his older brother, the former King Ananda Mahidol, in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the boys attended school. King Ananda was 20 when he died of a gunshot wound under mysterious circumstances. His 18-year-old brother, known then as Prince Phumiphon Aduldet, later assumed the throne to become King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Bhumibol and his future wife, Princess Sirikit Kityakara, are pictured in Lausanne in 1949. The couple married a year later at Srapathum Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

The King and Queen pose with their children, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and Princess Ubol Ratana, on the steps of Bangkok's Chitralada Palace in 1955. Two more daughters, Princesses Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Chulabhorn Walailak, were born in 1955 and 1957.

The royal couple ride with U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower during a five-day state visit to the United States in 1960.

The King, far right, plays the saxophone during a 1960 jam session with legendary jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman and his band in New York.

The King walks with his wife and their 13-year-old son, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, during a visit to Britain in 1966.

The King convenes the first meeting of his country's National Reform Assembly during a ceremony held in Bangkok in 1976. The King put the monarchy at the center of Thai society, acting as a force for community and tradition even as the country flipped between political crises and military coups.

The King raises a camera to take a photo in 1995. He was given his first camera in 1934, which ignited a lifelong enthusiasm for photography. He has often been seen with a camera around his neck during public appearances.

The King and Queen survey a rice crop made possible by a Royal Irrigation Project in 1996. The project formed part of the Royal Development Projects, which focused on developing remote rural areas. The King has taken an interest in environmental projects throughout his long reign.

The King reviews an honor guard with Queen Sirikit and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn during the annual military parade to celebrate his birthday in 2006.

The King lights candles at a ceremony to mark Coronation Day in Bangkok in 2007.

The King is wheeled towards his yacht in 2010, during a rare public appearance to open a new flood gate and two bridges in Bangkok.

The King is pictured with family members in 2012. He addressed a crowd from a balcony on his 85th birthday.

The King is seen through a car window as he leaves the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok in 2015.

A portrait of the King is held on the eve of his 88th birthday as people gather outside the Siriraj hospital in 2015. The King of Thailand is regarded as a demi-god by many Thais, and his popularity has been viewed as a unifying force during times of political unrest.