Line of succession to the Tongan Throne
Encyclopedia
The order of succession to the throne of Tonga
is laid down in the 1875 constitution of the south Pacific
island nation. This constitution specifies that the succession is confined to the descendants of King Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou I, through his son Crown Prince Tēvita Unga and his son Prince Uelingatoni Ngū (all names in modern spelling). Tēvita Unga was an illegitimate son, but all of Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou's legal sons had died before; at the end both Tēvita Unga and Uelingatoni Ngū also died before him. It also established primogeniture
, with male offspring having precedence over females. The Heir Apparent is styled by the title Crown Prince; other sons are styled Prince. All are addressed as "His Royal Highness".
The right and title of King George Tupou I to the Crown and the Throne of this Kingdom were confirmed by the Constitution of 1875 and it was further declared in the said Constitution that the succession to the Crown and Throne should devolve upon David Uga and then upon Wellington Gu and then upon them begotten by him in marriage and if at any time there be no heirs of Wellington Gu the Crown and Throne shall descend in accordance with the following law of succession:
It shall be lawful only for those born in marriage to succeed.
The succession shall be to the eldest male child and the heirs of his body but if he should have no children to the second male child and the heirs of his body and so on until all the male line shall be ended.
Should there be no male child the eldest female child shall succeed and the heirs of her body and if she should have no children it shall descend to the second female child and the heirs of her body until the female line is ended.
And if there shall be none of this line of David Uga lawful descendants by marriage to succeed to the Crown of Tonga it shall descend to William Tungi and his lawful heirs begotten by him in marriage and to their heirs begotten by them.
And if there should be no lawful heir the King shall appoint his heir if the House of Nobles consent to it (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and he shall be publicly declared heir to the Crown during the King's life.
Should there be no heir to the Crown or successor who has been so publicly proclaimed the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and when they meet the House of Nobles shall choose by ballot some one of the chiefs whom they wish to succeed as King. And he shall succeed as the first of a new dynasty and he and the heirs of his body born in marriage shall possess the Crown according to law.
And in the event of there being none to succeed according to this law the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall again convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with this law and they shall choose one to succeed to the Throne as the first of a new dynasty and so on according to this law for ever.
It shall not be lawful for any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne to marry any person without the consent of the King. And if any person should thus marry the consort [the] marriage shall not be considered legal and it shall be lawful for the King to cancel the right of such person and his heirs to succeed to the Crown of Tonga. And the next person in succession to him who so marries shall be declared the heir and the offender shall be regarded as dead.
This article applied to Fatafehi Alaivahamamao Tukuaho (later known as Māatu), the second son of the then-incumbent king, Tāufaāhau Tupou IV
, when he married a commoner against the wishes of his father. He and all his issue were consequently forever removed from the list. It was also threatened to apply on Mele Siuilikutapu Tukuaho, the king's niece, when she ran off with Josh Liavaa.
in 1965. Finally, as for now, the latter was succeeded by George Tupou V
, sworn in on 11 September 2006. As the current king has no legal heir the next in line are his youngest brother and his heirs.
The current line of succession is as follows:
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
is laid down in the 1875 constitution of the south Pacific
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
island nation. This constitution specifies that the succession is confined to the descendants of King Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou I, through his son Crown Prince Tēvita Unga and his son Prince Uelingatoni Ngū (all names in modern spelling). Tēvita Unga was an illegitimate son, but all of Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou's legal sons had died before; at the end both Tēvita Unga and Uelingatoni Ngū also died before him. It also established primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, with male offspring having precedence over females. The Heir Apparent is styled by the title Crown Prince; other sons are styled Prince. All are addressed as "His Royal Highness".
Article 32
Article 32 of the constitution (31 December 1988 version) reads:The right and title of King George Tupou I to the Crown and the Throne of this Kingdom were confirmed by the Constitution of 1875 and it was further declared in the said Constitution that the succession to the Crown and Throne should devolve upon David Uga and then upon Wellington Gu and then upon them begotten by him in marriage and if at any time there be no heirs of Wellington Gu the Crown and Throne shall descend in accordance with the following law of succession:
It shall be lawful only for those born in marriage to succeed.
The succession shall be to the eldest male child and the heirs of his body but if he should have no children to the second male child and the heirs of his body and so on until all the male line shall be ended.
Should there be no male child the eldest female child shall succeed and the heirs of her body and if she should have no children it shall descend to the second female child and the heirs of her body until the female line is ended.
And if there shall be none of this line of David Uga lawful descendants by marriage to succeed to the Crown of Tonga it shall descend to William Tungi and his lawful heirs begotten by him in marriage and to their heirs begotten by them.
And if there should be no lawful heir the King shall appoint his heir if the House of Nobles consent to it (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and he shall be publicly declared heir to the Crown during the King's life.
Should there be no heir to the Crown or successor who has been so publicly proclaimed the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and when they meet the House of Nobles shall choose by ballot some one of the chiefs whom they wish to succeed as King. And he shall succeed as the first of a new dynasty and he and the heirs of his body born in marriage shall possess the Crown according to law.
And in the event of there being none to succeed according to this law the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall again convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with this law and they shall choose one to succeed to the Throne as the first of a new dynasty and so on according to this law for ever.
Article 33
A few more articles deal with minor succession issues, the most important one in current times is article 33.(1):It shall not be lawful for any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne to marry any person without the consent of the King. And if any person should thus marry the consort [the] marriage shall not be considered legal and it shall be lawful for the King to cancel the right of such person and his heirs to succeed to the Crown of Tonga. And the next person in succession to him who so marries shall be declared the heir and the offender shall be regarded as dead.
This article applied to Fatafehi Alaivahamamao Tukuaho (later known as Māatu), the second son of the then-incumbent king, Tāufaāhau Tupou IV
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
, when he married a commoner against the wishes of his father. He and all his issue were consequently forever removed from the list. It was also threatened to apply on Mele Siuilikutapu Tukuaho, the king's niece, when she ran off with Josh Liavaa.
Practicals
Due to George Tupou I's longevity, he was eventually succeeded by his great grandson, styled George Tupou II, in 1893. He was succeeded in 1918 by his eldest surviving daughter, Queen Salote (Salote Tupou III), who married the only heir of the above mentioned Viliami (William) Tungī. She in turn was succeeded by her son Tāufaāhau Tupou IVTaufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
in 1965. Finally, as for now, the latter was succeeded by George Tupou V
George Tupou V
George Tupou V , is the current King of Tonga.-Early life:...
, sworn in on 11 September 2006. As the current king has no legal heir the next in line are his youngest brother and his heirs.
The current line of succession is as follows:
- Prince Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho, third son of King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, better known as Tupoutoa Lavaka.
- Prince Siaosi Manumataongo Alaivahamamao Ahoeitu Konstantin Tukuaho, elder son of (1), better known as UlukālalaFinau 'UlukalalaFīnau Ulukālala was a dynasty of 6 important hereditary chiefs from Vavau , currently in the kingdom of Tonga. Started somewhere in the 18th century, died out in 1960...
. - Prince Uiliame Unuaki'otonga Lalaka mo e Eiki Tukuaho, younger son of (1), better known as Ata.
- Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataaho Napuaokalani Tukuaho, daughter of (1).
- Princess Sālote Mafileo Pilolevu Tuita (born Tukuaho), daughter of King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV.
- Salote Lupepauu Tuita, daughter of (5)
- Ana Seini Fusitua, daughter of (6)
- Fanetupou Vavau Tuita, second daughter of (5)
- Frederica Tuita, third daughter of (5)
- Lupeolo Tuita, fourth daughter of (5)