A PRINCESS IN MOURNING

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Fiji Times Online

PRINCESS Pilolevu (pictured) is dressed in traditional mourning attire as she prepares to accompany the body of her late father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou to the island kingdom today.

King Taufa'ahau died late Sunday night in a Auckland Hospital after being hospitalised for several months.

His body will be flown to Nukualofa today and his state funeral is on Tuesday.

In Auckland yesterday, the New Zealand Press Association reported that thousands of Tongans paid their respects to the late King as his body lay in state in Auckland.

Within hours his son, Crown Prince Tupouto'a, was sworn in as the new monarch of the Pacific island kingdom.

Yesterday, a funeral cortege took the King's body to the royal residence in Auckland, Atalanga, where he will lie in state until today.

The King's body will today be flown to Tonga by Hercules transport aircraft for a further period of lying in state before his State funeral in the capital Nuku'alofa next Tuesday.

Tonga has begun an official month-long period of mourning, although the Tongan royal family will mourn the late King, who reigned for 41 years, for six months.

Tonga's Lord Chamberlain Fielakepa said the King was a working monarch virtually until he died a pain-free and peaceful death late on Sunday night at Ascot Mercy Hospital in Auckland.

He had been receiving medical treatment in Auckland for much of this year but the precise cause of death has not been released.

Prime Minister Helen Clark briefly paid her respects to the dead King at the royal residence yesterday but was only there for a few minutes.

As she left Atalanga, Clark stopped briefly and told waiting media it was a sad day for Tonga.

Many of New Zealand's local Tongan community of around 40,000 were expected to pay their respects today.

In Suva, talks have been conducted between the Tongan priests in the Catholic Church and Anglican Church and the Tongan community in Fiji for a memorial service for the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

Fiji Tongan community spokesman Doctor Tevita Havea said they were still discussing on which day they could conduct the church service.

"I had sent emails this morning to the Tongan students studying at USP, FSM and FIT to inform them if they could conduct church services for the late King in their institutions," he said.

He said there were more than 300 Tongans studying or working in the country and that did not include those that have married locals and are residing here.

Dr Havea said all the Tongans were invited to attend the memorial service, which would be held after the funeral in Tonga.

"Invites have also been sent out to the Fijians living on Waimanu Road who have blood ties in Tonga," he said.

He said the students and staff at Pacific Theological College had already started their church service yesterday morning.

Dr Havea said they have been updated on what was happening with news from the website but they have not received any other progress from the island.

Meanwhile, the University of the South Pacific Tongan Association students will not be participating at the USP Open Day on Friday.

Association spokesman Alifaleti Fonua said it was agreed at their meeting at the Orange Lounge on Monday night that they would not participate.

"We had seven items lined up for the open day but since we have started our mourning over the death of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, we will not take part," he said.

He said the more than 200 Tongan students at the university have started wearing black clothing and mats.

He said most of them felt really emotional after watching footage of the preparation conducted in New Zealand on Fiji TV on Monday night.

"Nothing has been planned so far on what we will be doing on Friday but hopefully we will meet again before Friday to further discuss on our preparations," he said.