Spokesman denies claim Tonga's king on deathbed

King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV

The New Zealand Government was recently asked to provide a plane to take the ailing King of Tonga back to his home country, amid rumours he was about to die, but the request was withdrawn.

Rumours have again been swirling that King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV has been perilously ill.

But the manager of the king's Epsom estate, Sitafooti Aho, said yesterday the king, who was staying in the Epsom enclave, was fine.

"He's okay ... that's all I will say."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday the Government had been asked to make a plane available to the 88-year-old king so he could return to Tonga, but the request was then withdrawn.

A spokesman said that should such a request be made again, it would expect a positive response.

King Tupou, once the world's heaviest monarch, who suffers from heart problems, has been receiving long-term medical care in Auckland.

Tongan journalist Mateni Tapueluelu said the latest speculation about his health came when he failed, for what is thought to be the first time, to open the Tonga Legislative Assembly in Nuku'alofa.

Instead, the Princess Regent, Princess Pilolevu Tuita, took his place last Thursday at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.

Mr Tapueluelu said it was understood that the king wanted to die in Tonga.

The Matangi Tonga news website said King Tupou had returned to New Zealand in April for check-ups.