Royal Audience at Dusit Palace
Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand granted a royal audience to 16-year-old Rattikarn “Preaw” Amloy, widely known as Nene Royal, following her victory on the 2026 season of America’s Got Talent (Bangkok Post). Accompanied by her family and Phuket governor Chotinarin Kerdsom, the young guitar prodigy met the monarchs at the Ambara Villa within the Dusit Palace complex in Bangkok (The Thaiger). During the gathering, Ms. Rattikarn presented her official winner’s certificate to His Majesty the King.
His Majesty expressed his appreciation for her international achievement, telling the teenage musician that he had watched the television broadcast and was proud of her talent. The King then returned the certificate to Ms. Rattikarn as a memento for her family. The audience marks a significant milestone in the guitarist’s rapidly expanding public profile following her historic victory on the global television stage.
Rise to International Prominence
Nene Royal, a native of Phuket who began playing the guitar at age seven, captured global attention during the talent competition’s audition round with a rendition of The Cranberries track “Zombie,” which earned a unanimous approval from all four judges (Bangkok Post). Throughout the season, she performed covers of alternative rock standards including Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and Muse’s “Hysteria,” and even joined Linkin Park on stage for a rendition of “The Emptiness Machine” during the grand finale (Guitar.com).
Beyond her television success, the 16-year-old has made major financial and professional decisions regarding her career. She announced that she has opted to take her America’s Got Talent prize as an upfront lump sum—estimated between $300,000 and $430,000 before taxes—rather than annuity payments spread over forty years (Bangkok Post). Furthermore, she received a condominium in the Bang Na area from Thai business executive Dhanin Chearavanont (Bangkok Post).
Upcoming Global Performances
The young artist’s schedule continues to accelerate with major international performance commitments. Following her television triumph, she was invited to support American metal band Avenged Sevenfold during their upcoming performance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium (Guitar.com). Industry managers in Singapore contacted her directly to secure the support slot in front of an expected audience of approximately 40,000 people (Guitar.com).
Reflecting on her sudden ascent, Nene Royal has emphasized the importance of continuous practice and finding one’s musical identity. Having transitioned from performing at markets around Phuket to sharing stages with international rock icons, she remains focused on maintaining her musical skills as her career expands onto the global stage.