Tupou VI

ʻAhoʻeitu was born in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, the third son and youngest child of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.[2] He was educated at The Leys School, Cambridge, from 1973 to 1977.[6] He then attended the University of East Anglia, where he read Development Studies, from 1977 to 1980.[7] He started his career in the military, joining the naval arm of the Tonga Defence Services in 1982 and becoming a Lieutenant-Commander in 1987. He graduated from the US Naval War College as part of Class 33 in 1988. From 1990 to 1995 he commanded the Pacific-class patrol boat VOEA Pangai and his time in charge included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. He graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1997 with a master's degree in defence studies and from Bond University in 1999 with a master's degree in international relations.[8]

In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as simultaneous defence minister and foreign minister from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, at that time still the crown prince, later to become King Siaosi Tupou V (see below). He was later appointed as Prime Minister on 3 January 2000, a function he kept until his sudden resignation on 11 February 2006. The reason has never been made clear, but was likely connected to pro-democracy protests calling since mid-2005 for a lesser role of the royal family in government, later culminating in the 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots. His appointed successor, Feleti Sevele, was Tonga's first prime minister who was not a hereditary estate holder or a member of the 33 noble families that make up the Tongan aristocracy.

In 2008 ʻAhoʻeitu was appointed Tonga's first High Commissioner to Australia, a post he held until his succession to the Tongan throne in 2012.[9] In addition, he was also non-resident Ambassador to Japan from 15 January 2010 to his succession in 2012.[10] In 2013 he was appointed as Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.[11]

Tupoutoʻa-Lavaka (centre) in a mourning dress for his recently deceased father, king Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV in 2006. He is flanked by his two sons, the new chiefs ʻUlukālala (left) and Ata (right)

ʻAhoʻeitu is married to Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho, daughter of the Baron Vaea.[12] They have three children[12] and four grandchildren:[13][14][15][16]

• Princess Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho – (Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataʻaho Napua-o-kalani Tukuʻaho; born 17 November 1983)
  She has been High Commissioner to Australia since 22 August 2012.[17]
• Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala – (Siaosi Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho; born 17 September 1985). He married his second cousin, Sinaitakala Fakafanua, on 12 July 2012.[18] They have four children: Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo – (Taufaʻahau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho; born 10 May 2013),[13] Princess Halaevalu Mata'aho (born 12 July 2015),[14] Princess Nanasipau’u (born 20 March 2018),[15] and Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu (born 25 February 2021).[16]
• Prince Ata – (Viliami ʻUnuaki-ʻo-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-ʻEiki Tukuʻaho; born 27 April 1988).

Tongan Royal Family
The King The Queen The Crown Prince The Crown Princess Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo Princess Halaevalu Mataʻaho Princess Nanasipauʻu Eliana Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Princess Lātūfuipeka Prince Viliami, The 8th Prince Ata The Princess Royal, The Lady Tuita Siosaʻia, The 9th Lord Tuita Sālote Lupepau'u Tuita 'Epeli Taione Phaedra Anaseini Titilupe Fanetupouvava'u Tuita Siaosi Kiu Tau-ki-Vailahi Kaho Simon Tu'ivakano Michaela Tu'ivakano Fatafehi Tu'ivakano Frederica Lupe'Uluiva Tuita Johnny Filipe Latu'alaifotu'aika Fahina Lupeolo Halaevalu Tuita The Hon. Dowager Lady Ma’atu The Prince Tungi Fatafehi Sione Ikamafana ‘Etani Ha’amea Tupoulahi Salote Maumautaimi Tuku'aho
Extended family
Princess Fifita Holeva Tuʻihaʻangana Princess Sinaitakala Fakafanua Fatafehi, The 8th Lord Fakafanua Fakaola Fakafānua

Since his confirmation as heir presumptive, he got the traditional title of Tupoutoʻa, reserved for crown princes, which his older brother (the second) had to give up because he married a commoner, while two of his previous titles went to his sons. As such he was until his accession to the throne known as Tupoutoʻa Lavaka. His elder son, Siaosi, (George) is to be addressed by the prestigious title of ʻUlukālala of Fangatongo, while his second son, Viliami, (William) was bestowed with ʻAta of Hihifo.[2]

King Tupou VI after his coronation ceremony in Nukuʻalofa on 4 July 2015

King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u were crowned in a ceremony conducted at Centenary Church in Nukuʻalofa on 4 July 2015 by the Reverend D'Arcy Wood, a retired Uniting Church in Australia minister who was born in Tonga. He was assisted by the Reverend 'Ahio and the Reverend Tevita Havea, the president and the secretary general of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.[19] The celebrations included many international invited guests, and an estimated 15,000 people, mostly expatriate Tongans, flew in to join the celebrations.[20]

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.[21]

On 25 August 2017 he suddenly dismissed the Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva, dissolved the Legislative Assembly and ordered early elections to be held by mid-November.[22] On 15 January 2022, he was evacuated from the Royal Palace after the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami.[23] He returned to the palace on 17 January.[24]

• Line of succession to the Tongan throne
• List of national leaders

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tupou VI of Tonga.

• Prince Ulukalala Lavaka Ata at IMDb
• Government Biography