Tupou VI

Tupou VI(ʻAho‘eitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 12 July 1959) isKing of Tonga.He is the younger brother and successor of the late KingGeorge Tupou V.

Tupou VI
Tupou VI in 2019
King of Tonga
Reign	18 March 2012 – present
Coronation	4 July 2015
Predecessor	George Tupou V
Heir apparent	Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala
Prime Ministers	See list Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Semisi Sika(Acting) Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa Siaosi Sovaleni
13thPrime Minister of Tonga
Term	3 January 2000 – 11 February 2006
Predecessor	Baron Vaea
Successor	Feleti Sevele
Monarch	Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
Born	(1959-07-12)12 July 1959 Royal Palace,Nukuʻalofa,Kingdom of Tonga
Spouse	Nanasipauʻu Vaea ​ (m.1982)​
Issue	Princess Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala Prince Ata
Names ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
House	Tupou dynasty
Father	Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
Mother	Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe
Religion	Free Wesleyan Church
Alma mater	University of East Anglia University of New South Wales Bond University
Signature

The youngest child of KingTāufaʻāhau Tupou IV,he served asPrime Minister of Tongafrom 2000 to 2006. Following his elder brother's accession to theThrone of Tonga,he was officially confirmed as theheir presumptiveon 27 September 2006, as his brother had no legitimate children. In 2008, he was appointed Tonga'sHigh CommissionertoAustralia,and resided inCanberrauntil the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when he became King of Tonga, with theregnal nameTupou VI. He also served as the Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific from 2013 to 2014. He was crowned in 2015 by the ReverendD'Arcy Wood.

Early life and education

ʻAhoʻeitu was born in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, as the third son and youngest child ofCrown Prince Tupoutoʻa Tungī(later King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV).He attendedThe Leys Schoolin Cambridge from 1973 to 1977,followed by enrolment at theUniversity of East Anglia,where he studiedDevelopment Studiesbetween 1977 and 1980.

Military career

ʻAhoʻeitu joined the naval arm of theTonga Defence Servicesin 1982, achieving the rank of Lieutenant-Commander by 1987. He graduated from theUS Naval War Collegeas part of Class 33 in 1988.

His military service included commanding thePacific-classpatrol boatVOEAPangaifrom 1990 to 1995, during which he participated in peacekeeping operations inBougainville.Then, he obtained a master's degree indefence studiesfrom theUniversity of New South Walesin 1997 and another master's degree ininternational relationsfromBond Universityin 1999.

Governmental career

In 1998, ʻAhoʻeitu transitioned from his military career to government service, assuming dual roles asdefence ministerandforeign ministeruntil August 2004.These roles were previously held by his elder brotherTupoutoʻa,who was then the crown prince and later becameKing Siaosi Tupou V.He was appointed asPrime Ministeron 3 January 2000,a role he held until his unexpected resignation on 11 February 2006.While the specific reasons for his resignation remain unclear, it is speculated to be connected to pro-democracy protests that had been ongoing since mid-2005, advocating for a reduced role of the royal family in government, eventually leading to the2006 Nukuʻalofa riots.

Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific

King Tupou VI served as the 20th Chancellor of theUniversity of the South Pacific(USP) from July 2013 to June 2014.He was installed as Chancellor during the USP Tonga Graduation ceremony in July 2013.

Prime Minister of Tonga

ʻAhoʻeitu assumed the role of prime minister on 3 January 2000, and held this position until his resignation on 11 February 2006.His departure coincided with a period of heightened civil unrest, as pro-democracy protests gained traction from mid-2005 onward.

In 2004, several Members of Parliament (MPs) advocated for his resignation as Prime Minister following their decision to boycott the inauguration of theTonga Legislative Assembly.Among the MPs wasFred Sevele,who cited the closure ofRoyal Tongan Airlinesas one of several adverse events associated with the Prime Minister's tenure. Sevele questioned the Prime Minister's ability to govern Tonga, asserting that an inability to manage an airline raised doubts about his capacity to govern the country effectively.

In 2006, theNukuʻalofa riotsunderscored a growing dissatisfaction with the existing political structure, calls for increased political representation and a more equal distribution of power.

Diplomatic career

ʻAhoʻeitu took on the position of the chief of mission for Tonga's High Commission in Canberra when it was inaugurated in 2008,a position he held until his succession to the Tongan throne in 2012. This move represented a notable development in Tonga's diplomatic relations with Australia, highlighting the establishment of a formal diplomatic presence.

Concurrently, he served as a non-resident Ambassador to Japan from 15 January 2010 until his succession in 2012.

Marriage and family

ʻAhoʻeitu is married toNanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho,daughter ofBaron Vaea.They have three childrenand four grandchildren.Their eldest child,Princess Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho(Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataʻaho Napua-o-kalani Tukuʻaho), born on 17 November 1983, has been the High Commissioner to Australia since 22 August 2012.

Their second child, Crown PrinceTupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala(Siaosi Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho), born on 17 September 1985, married his second cousin,Sinaitakala Fakafanua,on 12 July 2012.They have four children: PrinceTaufaʻahau Manumataongo(born 10 May 2013),Princess Halaevalu Mataʻaho (born 12 July 2015),Princess Nanasipauʻu (born 20 March 2018),and Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu (born 25 February 2021).

Their third child is Prince Ata (Viliami ʻUnuaki-ʻo-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-ʻEiki Tukuʻaho), born on 27 April 1988.

Upon his confirmation as heir presumptive, he acquired the traditional title of Tupoutoʻa, reserved for crown princes, a position his older brother relinquished due to marrying a commoner, and was subsequently known as Tupoutoʻa Lavaka before ascending the throne. His elder son, Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, inherited his title of ʻUlukālala of Fangatongo, while his second son, Prince Ata, was bestowed with the title ʻAta of Hihifo.

Coronation

King Tupou VI after his coronation ceremony inNukuʻalofaon 4 July 2015

King Tupou VI andQueen Nanasipau’uwere crowned in a ceremony conducted at Centenary Church inNukuʻalofaon 4 July 2015 by the ReverendD'Arcy Wood,a retiredUniting Church in Australiaminister who was born in Tonga. He was assisted by the Reverend 'Ahio and the Reverend Tevita Havea, the president and the secretary general of theFree Wesleyan Church of Tonga.About 15,000 guests attended the celebration.

During the ceremony, Tupou VI was anointed with holy oil, adorned with a ring, and presented with a sceptre. The crown was then placed on his head by Wood, who performed the anointing and crowning as a matter of circumventing the taboo on native Tongans touching the King's head.The celebrations ran for a total of eleven days, beginning a week before the ceremony.

Reign

On 25 August 2017, Tupou VI dismissed Prime MinisterʻAkilisi Pōhiva,dissolved the Legislative Assembly, and orderedearly electionsto be held by mid-November. Following the king's dissolution of the government, the speaker,Lord Tuʻivakanō,issued a statement explaining his advice to the King that led him to dismiss the Prime Minister. Lord Tuʻivakanō stated that Pōhiva had made unconstitutional moves, including signing international agreements without the King's consent.

On 15 January 2022, the King was temporarily relocated from theRoyal Palacefollowing theeruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai and the ensuing tsunami.

Loss of confidence in ministers

On 2 February 2024, Prime MinisterSiaosi Sovaleniwas absent from Tonga, receiving medical treatment in New Zealand. During this time, King Tupou VI purportedly revoked the appointment of Siaosi Sovaleni as the armed forces minister andFekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanuas the minister of foreign affairs and tourism,with the nine noble MPsurging them to resign from their ministerial positions.TheAttorney General of Tonga,Linda Folaumoetu'i,advised the Cabinet that the King's action was unconstitutional.

In response to the revocation of their appointments, Siaosi Sovaleni and Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu publicly announced their resignation from their respective ministerial positions in April 2024.

Family tree

Tupou family tree
Tuʻi Haʻatakalaualine Tuʻi Tongaline Tuʻi Kanokupoluline Kalolaine Fusimatalili George Tupou I Fīnau Kaunanga Fifita Vavʻau Tēvita ʻUnga Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu Filiaipulotu Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku Fatafehi Toutaitokotaha Lavinia Veiongo George Tupou II ʻAnaseini Takipō Viliami Tungī Mailefihi Sālote Tupou III Vīlai Tupou(illegitimate son) Tupou Seini Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe Siaosi 'Alipate Tupou, Baron Vaea Tuputupu Ma'afu-'o-Tukuialahi George Tupou V Tupou VI Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala Sinaitakala Fakafanua Taufaʻahau Manumataongo
Reference: Fox, James J.; Sather, Clifford (1996).Origins, Ancestry and Alliance: Explorations in Austronesian Ethnography.Canberra: Department of Anthropology, Australian National University. p. 252.ISBN978-0-7315-2432-7.OCLC245762652. Kaeppler, Adrienne Lois; D.C. (2008).The Pacific Arts of Polynesia and Micronesia.Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 90.ISBN978-0-19-284238-1.OCLC236158882. Völkel, Svenja (2010).Social Structure, Space and Possession in Tongan Culture and Language: An Ethnolinguistic Study.Amsterdam; Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing. p. 45.ISBN978-90-272-0283-3. Wood-Ellem, Elizabeth(1999).Queen Sālote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900-1965.Auckland, N.Z: Auckland University Press. p. front.ISBN978-0-8248-2529-4.OCLC262293605.

See also

• Succession to the Tongan throne
• List of current heads of state and government

External links

• Prince Ulukalala Lavaka AtaatIMDb
• Government Biography