King of Tonga too sick to appear, but party goes on without him

Children march in honour of King Tupou IV's 88th birthday. Picture / Dean Purcell

NUKU'ALOFA - The King of Tonga was out of sight, but not out of the minds of his subjects.

King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who turns 88 today, has not seen too many of the celebrations so far held in honour of his birthday but he will have heard some of the singing and brass bands playing on the lawn of the royal palace yesterday.

At a prayer breakfast a long tapa-covered ramp was prepared to take the monarch in his wheelchair all the way from outside the Queen Salote College hall up to the pulpit inside, but he failed to turn up.

The previous day King Tupou had to leave a church service early because he was unwell.

Student Lovely Koli, 25, who was waiting outside the hall for the King, said he was thought of fondly by her and her friends.

"He does a lot for this country. During the strike he told his sons and daughters to open their hearts to the people asking for higher pay."

Tongan civil servants last year went on an unprecedented national strike which aligned itself with the growing pro-democracy movement.

After a seven-week protest, in which the King's summer house was burned down, the strikers eventually succeeded in their claims for pay rises and a promise of a review of the political system.

In a historic first the King subsequently appointed a commoner, businessman Dr Fred Sevele, Prime Minister in March this year after his youngest son, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, resigned from the post.

Miss Koli said the King was fond of the college named after his revered mother Queen Salote, who died in 1965.

"When it's near exams he sends us food."

Inside the crowded hall, about 200 guests and members of the Free Wesleyan Church enjoyed the feast put on by selected church families.

They brought the best china, cutlery and linen from their homes and decorated the tables with colourful floral arrangements from their gardens.

It finally became apparent that the King was not going to make it and his wife, Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho Ahome'e, was left to eat alone at the head table, set for two.

At the next table sat Princess Pilolevu Tuita and at another a small group of dignitaries, including Samoa's Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II.

About 7.30am everyone stood up to toast the absent King's birthday with a glass of fruit juice and sang "Happy Birthday Your Majesty".

A guest was not surprised the King did not attend, saying she had been shocked to see him at church the previous day looking old and frail.

"It's a pity."

Later yesterday hundreds of schoolchildren in their boldly coloured uniforms and crisp white shirts marched through the palace grounds to the beat of their brass bands, waving to those gathered on the lower deck of the two-storey wooden palace.

The King was spotted for a short time seated in his wheelchair in a large dark doorway but it was not clear if he was even awake.

Again Princess Pilolevu seemed to be taking his place, waving back at the students.

This was despite the fact her eldest brother and heir to the throne, Crown Prince Tupouto'a, was home in Nuku'alofa, although he did host a cocktail evening at his grand Medici-styled mansion on the outskirts of the town last night.

Around the back of the palace hours of dancing, singing and gift-giving was taking place. Presents included colourfully fringed mats, wooden sculptures, decorated bags and cash.

Further celebrations today, a public holiday, will include thanksgiving prayers, a royal luncheon and evening reception and finally a torch-lighting ceremony on the waterfront.

Many of the public will gather in downtown Nuku'alofa where roads will be closed off for a "block party" with barbecues and even a hip-hop competition.