Funeral plans for Tongan royal couple released

The funeral for two members of the Tongan royal family killed in a San Francisco car crash last week will be held on Thursday and Friday in Nuku'alofa,

The Matangitonga website said the official programme for the funeral of Prince Tu'ipelehake and his wife, Princess Kaimana, would be released on Wednesday.

Paula Ma'u, the deputy secretary to cabinet, said the remains of Prince Tu'ipelehake and Princess Kaimana are expected to arrive in Tonga on Thursday morning on an Air New Zealand flight from the USA.

California teenager Edith Delgado has pleaded not guilty to felony manslaughter charges in the highway crash.

Delgado, 18, has been charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence after her speeding Mustang sideswiped the vehicle of the Tongan couple, sending it rolling and killing them as well as their driver, Vinisia Hefa.

Witnesses and police said Delgado appeared to be racing her white Ford Mustang sports car with a Cadillac Escalade at speeds up to 160km/h when she clipped the Tongans' Ford Explorer.

Mr Ma'u said the funeral was not a state one, but a royal family funeral and, as such, many details had to be approved by the royal family.

There would be no public holiday and no tapu, meaning no closures of night clubs. Flags will be flying at half-mast only on Friday, the burial day.

Mr Ma'u said overseas dignitaries, friends and relatives of the royal couple were expected to attend the funeral.

- NZPA