George Tupou V (full name: Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou) was the King of Tonga. He ruled from 2006 until his death in 2012. His father, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, was the previous king.

Early Life and Education
Becoming Crown Prince
His Time as King
Illness and Death
Honours
- National Honours
- Foreign Honours
See also

Early Life and Education

Prince Siaosi was born on May 4, 1948. He was the oldest child of Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa-Tungī and Crown Princess Halaevalu. His grandmother was Sālote Tupou III, a famous Queen of Tonga.

Tupou V went to school in Auckland, New Zealand. He attended King's School and King's College. He also studied in England at The Leys School and Oxford University. He trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, which is a military officer training school.

Becoming Crown Prince

Tupou V was named Crown Prince on May 4, 1966. In this role, he was often called by his traditional title, Tupoutoʻa.

He had a daughter named 'Ilima Lei Fifita Tohi. She later married and had three children. According to the laws of Tonga, only children born from a royal marriage can become king or queen.

As Crown Prince, Tupoutoʻa had a lot of power in Tongan politics. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1979 to 1998. He also had many business interests.

His Time as King

Royal Monogram of King George V of Tonga

King George Tupou V was seen as a descendant of the sky god Tangaroa. He became King on September 11, 2006. This also made him the 23rd Tuʻi Kanokupolu, who were the traditional rulers of Tongatapu.

Coronation Ceremony

The special ceremonies for Tupou V becoming King happened in July and August 2008. They were planned for earlier but were delayed. This was because of a period of mourning for his father. They were also delayed after riots in the capital city, Nukuʻalofa, in 2006. The King wanted to focus on rebuilding the city first.

During the week of celebrations, two main ceremonies took place. On July 30, 2008, a Taumafa Kava ceremony was held. This is a traditional Royal Kava Ring ceremony. During this event, Tupou V sat on special mats. Many Tongan nobles and chiefs were around him. He wore a traditional Tongan ta'ovala (a woven mat skirt) and a garland of flowers. In this ceremony, he was officially recognized as the Tuʻi Kanokupolu. This meant he was the rightful leader, like King George Tupou I, who united Tonga in the 1800s. The ceremony included presenting kava, food, and cooked pigs to the King and the chiefs.

That same night, schoolchildren held 30,000 torches. This event, called a tupakapakanava, announced the coronation. This ancient torch display is a special honor for the Tongan King and Royal Family.

A second, European-style coronation ceremony happened on August 1, 2008. This took place in a church in Nuku’alofa. The Anglican Archbishop of Polynesia placed the Tongan Crown on the King's head. Important people from royal families and noble families around the world attended this ceremony.

Giving Up Power

Before his coronation, King George Tupou V made an important announcement. On August 1, 2008, he said he would give up most of his power. He would let his Prime Minister make most decisions. The Prime Minister would also be in charge of daily government work.

The King also announced that there would be changes to the parliament. Elections would be held in 2010. A palace spokesperson said the King was giving up his powers. This was to meet the wishes of many people who wanted more democracy. The people wanted a parliament where more members were elected by them. The King agreed with this idea.

In July 2010, the government prepared for the historic vote. The King would remain the head of state. However, he would lose his power to choose the prime minister and other ministers. He would still appoint judges to make sure the justice system stayed fair. The King also kept the power to reduce prison sentences.

Business Changes

When he became King, George Tupou V announced he would sell all his business interests. He sold one of his companies, Tonfön, in 2007. Other business sales were delayed.

Other Events

On February 24, 2012, King George Tupou V visited Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.

During his time as King, he made changes to Tonga's system of honors. He added more types of awards and made rules to give them out more fairly. In 2008, he gave noble titles to family members. He also gave back the 'Prince' title to his nephew, Prince Tungi.

Illness and Death

The coffin of King George Tupou V being carried to the Tombs.

In September 2011, King Tupou V had surgery. This was to remove a tumor from a kidney.

He passed away on March 18, 2012, at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. His brother and future king, Tupouto'a Lavaka, was with him.

Reactions in Tonga

After his death, the government of Tonga held a meeting. Tonga's largest church, the Free Wesleyan Church, held a prayer service. The Prime Minister, Lord Tuʻivakanō, asked the people of Tonga to pray for the royal family and the country.

International Reactions

Many world leaders sent messages of sadness and support.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom said King Tupou was "a true statesman."
King Harald V of Norway sent his sympathy to the new King and the people of Tonga.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard called King Tupou "a great friend" to Australia. She noted that he led Tonga to its "first truly democratic elections" in 2010.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said King Tupou believed the monarchy could bring change. He called him the "architect of evolving democracy in Tonga."
United States President Barack Obama said King Tupou was "a friend" to the U.S. and "a visionary leader" for Tonga.

Funeral

After the King's death was announced, a committee was set up. This committee organized the state funeral. The King's body arrived in Tonga on March 26, 2012. It lay in state at the Royal Palace for a day. The funeral was held on March 27, 2012.

Important guests from other countries attended the funeral. These included the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, and the Governor-General of New Zealand, Jerry Mateparae. Royal guests included Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester from the UK and Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi from Japan.

Honours

Styles of King George Tupou V of Tonga

Reference style	His Majesty ko ʻene ʻafio
Spoken style	Your Majesty ko hoʻo ʻafio

National Honours

Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Pouono
Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of George Tupou I
Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Crown
Tonga: 1st Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Sālote Tupou III
Tonga: 1st Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint George
Tonga: 1st Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix
Tonga: 1st Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Royal House
Tonga: 1st Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Oceania
Tonga: Sovereign of the Royal Family Decoration of King George Tupou V
Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the Medal of Merit
Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the Red Cross Medal
Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV Silver Jubilee Medal

Foreign Honours

France: Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Bagrationi-Mukhrani Georgian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of the Eagle of Georgia
Hungary: Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (15 September 2011)
Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I
Two Sicilian Royal Family: Recipient of the Gold Benemerenti Medal