Coronation of Tonga’s King

Tonga’s King Tupou VI and his wife were crowned today in a simple ceremony watched by thousands at the Free Wesleyan Centenary Church in Nuku’alofa, the country’s capital, after a week-long celebration.

D’Arcy Wood, an Australian Methodist minister, was flown to Tonga to perform the official crowning, as no Tongan citizen can touch the head of the King. Reverends Dr ‘Ahio and Dr Tevita Havea of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga assisted in other parts of the ceremony.

During the ceremony, both King Tupou and Queen Nanasipau’u – dressed in velvet and fur robes – were both crowned with golden crowns, while the King was also anointed with holy oil.

Foreign royal guests were Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, Archduke Georg of Austria and Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg. Other dignitaries included the Governor-Generals of Australia and New Zealand.

King Tupou VI became King of Tonga in March 2012 upon the death of his brother, George Tupou V.

Filed under Tonga
Tagged Coronation, Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho of Tonga, Tupou VI of Tonga.

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