Editing Norodom Ranariddh (section)

==Early life==

Ranariddh was born on 2 January 1944<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/prince-ranariddhs-funeral-all-set|title=Prince Ranariddh's funeral all set|author=Kunthear, Mom |date=5 December 2021|accessdate=1 January 2023|work=[[The Phnom Penh Post]]}}</ref> in Phnom Penh to [[Sihanouk]] and his first wife,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 3</ref> Phat Kanhol, who was a ballet dancer attached to the royal court.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 1</ref> Ranariddh was separated from his mother at three years of age when she remarried, and subsequently grew up mostly under the care of his aunt, Norodom Ketkanya, and grandaunt, Norodom Sobhana.<ref name="Mehta2001-p.4">Mehta (2001), p. 4</ref> Ranariddh attended primary education at Norodom School and completed part of his high school studies at Lycee Descartes in Phnom Penh.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 7</ref> During his childhood, he developed a close relationship with his grandparents, [[Norodom Suramarit]] and [[Sisowath Kossamak]], but was distanced from his father.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 6</ref>

In 1958, Ranariddh was sent to a boarding school in [[Marseille]] together with his half-brother [[Norodom Chakrapong]].<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 11</ref> Ranariddh initially planned to pursue medical studies as he did well in science subjects, but was persuaded by Kossamak to study law. After finishing high school in 1961, he enrolled in the undergraduate law programme of the [[University of Paris]]. He struggled to focus on his studies in Paris, which he attributed to the social distractions that he encountered in the city.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 14</ref>

In 1962, Ranariddh enrolled in the law school of the [[University of Provence]]. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1968 and 1969 respectively, specialising in [[public law]].<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 19</ref> After completing his master's, Ranariddh took the PhD qualifying examinations in 1969. He returned to Cambodia in January 1970, and worked briefly as a secretary at the [[Ministry of Interior (Cambodia)|Interior Ministry]].<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 28</ref> When [[Lon Nol]] staged a successful coup against Sihanouk in March 1970, Ranariddh was dismissed from his job and fled into the jungle where he was a close associate of resistance leaders.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 37</ref>

In 1971, Ranariddh was captured, along with several members of the royal family, and was held in prison for six months before being released. He was rearrested the following year, and spent a further three months in detention.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 39</ref> In 1973, Ranariddh returned to the University of Provence,<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 42</ref> where he completed his PhD in 1975.<ref name="Mehta2001-p.48">Mehta (2001), pp. 48–49</ref> Between 1976 and 1979, he worked as a research fellow at the [[Centre national de la recherche scientifique|CNRS]],<ref name="Narong204">Narong (2005), p. 204</ref> and was awarded a diploma of higher studies in air transport.<ref>Mehta (2001), p. 194</ref> In 1979 Ranariddh went back to the University of Provence as an [[Academic rank in France|associate professor]],<ref name="Mehta2001-p.66">Mehta (2001), p. 66</ref> teaching courses in [[constitutional law]] and [[political sociology]].<ref>Norodom (2014), p. 11</ref>