The casket of the late Prince Norodom Ranariddh arrived in Cambodia before noon on December 5, with his body embalmed for another four days at his former residence in the capital’s Daun Penh district.

His body was received by Minister of the Royal Palace Kong Sam Ol, Buddhist monks, members of his FUNCINPEC party, among others, at Phnom Penh International Airport.

According to the committee recently created by Prime Minister Hun Sen to organise the Prince’s funeral, the body will be cremated on December 8 in front of Wat Botum near the Royal Palace.

Prince Ranariddh, the son of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk and half-brother of King Norodom Sihamoni, passed away on November 28 in France at the age of 77.

Before his passing, the Prince was president of the royalist FUNCINPEC, which he founded, and also served as chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council to the King.

In his early political career, he also served as First Prime Minister following an election organised by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia in 1993 and later as president of the National Assembly.