Tonga - Death of HM King George Tupou V, 18 March 2012

[NGalitzine]

HRH The Duke of Gloucester will represent Queen Elizabeth II at the state funeral.

[wbenson]

Tonga readies for king's state funeral - The West Australian

The Pacific island of Tonga was Friday preparing to bid farewell its late King George Tupou V, rehearsing the funeral procession and declaring two public holidays to coincide with the mourning.

Tuesday's funeral is expected to be a grand affair, with the late king's body carried from the palace on an ornate platform by 150 people to the royal tombs where Tongan monarchs have been laid to rest since 1893.

Tonga's royal funeral plans change | Stuff.co.nz

Tonga has moved the funeral of the late King George Tupou V to Tuesday, shortening the laying-in state part of the ceremony.

Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Local Tongans disappointed king’s body not coming to Auckland

The news that the body of King George Tupou V will not be coming to Auckland has left some members of the Tongan community disappointed, says Tongan Adisory Council chair Melino Maka.

Radio New Zealand : News : National : Expatriate Tongans angry King's funeral date has changed

The decision to hold the state funeral for King George Tupou V a day earlier has been labelled a kick in the guts for Tongans living overseas.

Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Tongans ‘face $1 million public bill’ for royal funeral

Despite hard economic times, the people of Tonga are all too willing to fund the cost of the King George Tupou V’s funeral.

Melino Maka, chairman of the Tongan Advisory Council, estimates the funeral could cost Tonga up to and beyond $1 million.

Message of condolence following the death of the King of Tonga, 19 March 2012

The following message was sent by The Queen to King Tupou VI of Tonga:

It is with great sadness that I learnt of the death of your brother, His Majesty King George Tupou V. King George was a true statesman who served his country with distinction.

On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, Prince Philip and I wish to convey to your family and to the people of the Kingdom of Tonga our deepest sympathy at this sad time.

ELIZABETH R

[Artemisia]

Monarch ushered in democratic era

His Majesty King Siaosi Tupou V of Tonga, who has died at the age of 63, was traditionally regarded as the descendant of the sky god Tangeroa, but gave up many powers to launch an era of democracy on the South Sea island chain over which his family had long ruled.
Known to English speakers as George Tupou V, the king inherited a febrile domestic atmosphere on the death in 2006 of his father, Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who had steadfastly resisted constitutional reform for 41 years. With an elite appointed by royal decree securing large chunks of the country's wealth, resentment had grown among many of Tonga's disfranchised poor.

Pictures:
- Queen Halaevala Mata'aho, Adi Litia Dugdale, Adi Elenoa Taito (both daughters of Fiji's high chief Ratu Mara), and Adi Mitimiti Dreunimisimisi (the grand daughter of Fiji's founding father Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau) mourn the death of the King near the capital Nuku'alofa on March 25, 2012.

- Tongans dressed in black and wearing the traditional ta'ovala waistmats gather to pay their respects to Queen Halaevala Mata'aho, the mother the late King, near the capital Nuku'alofa on March 25, 2012.

- Queen Halaevala Mata'aho

[Biri]

Poor Queen Mata'aho...

[Ephram]

Prince and Princess Hitachi will represent Emperor of Akihito of Japan to this funeral.

Ratu Epeli Nailatikau from Fiji, also of Tongan Royal descent has already arrived at the Takipo or the vigil night.

Prince Hitachi to visit Tonga for king's funeral - The Mainichi Daily News

Foreign Dignitaries attending State Funeral of His Majesty King George Tupou V

[Artemisia]

Body of Tonga's former monarch arrives back on Pacific Island ahead of state funeral

Thousands of sombre Tongans, swathed in black, lined the Pacific island nation's roads on Monday to welcome home the body of their late king, an eccentric reformer who died in Hong Kong last week.

[Ephram]

You may now watch the live telecast of the State Funeral here:

Live stream: Funeral of Tonga's King | Breaking & Daily News, Sport & Weather | TV ONE, TV2 | TVNZ

[No1_Saint]

Takipo | tonganmade

A beautiful article written the late King's niece, the Hon. Frederica Tuita, daughter of the only sister to the late King, HRH Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita and Lord Tuita.

[Ephram]

King Tupou wanted short mourning period, says Tongan princess - Story - World - 3 News

Here in this article, Princess Pilolevu Tuita said that the late King George Tupou V wished to have a simple funeral for him. He didn't want lavish funeral or long period of mourning.

The mourning period has thus been reduced from three months to merely five days. This Saturday 31 March 2012, Kava ceremony will be held for official investiture for the new King of Tonga.

http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2012/03/t...iod-shortened/

[No1_Saint]

Originally Posted by Ephram

King Tupou wanted short mourning period, says Tongan princess - Story - World - 3 News

Here in this article, Princess Pilolevu Tuita said that the late King George Tupou V wished to have a simple funeral for him. He didn't want lavish funeral or long period of mourning.

The mourning period has thus been reduced from three months to merely five days. This Saturday 31 March 2012, Kava ceremony will be held for official investiture for the new King of Tonga.

Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Tonga poised for King’s funeral as mourning period shortened

A beautiful and well spoken Princess. God bless HRH.

[NGalitzine]

Any pics of the kava ceremony for the new king?

[Benjamin]

Direct link to the interview with Princess Pilolevu:
Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita - full interview - World - Video - 3 News

Interview with a close friend of His late Majesty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRQBH...eature=related

[No1_Saint]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Any pics of the kava ceremony for the new king?

The Tongan Government portal contains great photo albums of public events including the funeral and the surrounding events.

Gallery - Category: STATE FUNERAL: King George Tupou V

For the Taumafa Kava refer to the album titled The Pongipongitapu.

[NGalitzine]

Do we know if he will have the formal "Britsih style" coronation like his predecessors or if he will forgo that ceremony due to the economic situation?

[No1_Saint]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Do we know if he will have the formal "Britsih style" coronation like his predecessors or if he will forgo that ceremony due to the economic situation?

So far there have been no news yet on his western more public coronation. I dare say he will want one as it will give him an opportunity to host foreign dignitaries and guests personally to develop personal relationships of his own.

My guess is if there is to be one it will be next year. The costs will be significantly lower as the late Majesty Tupou V had to not only fund the ceremony and surrounding events but also significantly improve the the capitals infrastructure for it to occur. The legacy his late Majesty left is a significantly more modern Tongan not only in political frameworks but also infrastructures.

I think if HM King Tupou VI decides to proceed with a western styled coronation as have all his predecessors have since his late Majesty Tupou I, it will be more restrained than that of his late Majesty King Tupou V.

[No1_Saint]

A beautiful first hand account.

A Princess Diary Part II | The What It Do » Urban Island Review

That is a heart breaking account of when HM Queen Halaevalu Mata’aho saw her son, His late Majesty King Tupou V in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace.