Tupou VI

Tupou VI ('Aho‘eitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 12 July 1959) is King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his brother had no legitimate children. He served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 2000 to 2006 and as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and resided in Canberra from 2008, until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when he became King of Tonga, with the regnal name Tupou VI. He also served as the Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific from 2013 to 2014. He was crowned in 2015 by the Reverend D'Arcy Wood.

Early life and education
ʻAhoʻeitu was born in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, as the third son and youngest child of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. He attended The Leys School in Cambridge from 1973 to 1977, followed by enrollment at the University of East Anglia, where he studied Development Studies between 1977 and 1980.

Military career
He joined the naval arm of the Tonga Defence Services in 1982, achieving the rank of Lieutenant-Commander by 1987. He graduated from the US Naval War College as part of Class 33 in 1988.

His military service included commanding the Pacific-class patrol boat VOEA Pangai from 1990 to 1995, during which he participated in peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. Then, he obtained a master's degree in defence studies from the University of New South Wales in 1997 and another master's degree in international relations from Bond University in 1999.

Governmental career
In 1998, ʻAhoʻeitu transitioned from his military career to government service, assuming dual roles as defence minister and foreign minister until August 2004. These roles were previously held by his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, who was then the crown prince and later became King Siaosi Tupou V. He was appointed as Prime Minister on 3 January 2000, a role he held until his unexpected resignation on 11 February 2006. While the specific reasons for his resignation remain unclear, it is speculated to be connected to pro-democracy protests that had been ongoing since mid-2005, advocating for a reduced role of the royal family in government, eventually leading to the 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots.

Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific
King Tupou VI served as the 20th Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific from July 2013 to June 2014. He was installed as Chancellor during the USP Tonga Graduation ceremony in July 2013.

Prime Minister of Tonga
He assumed the role of prime minister on 3 January 2000, and held this position until his resignation on 11 February 2006. His departure coincided with a period of heightened civic unrest, as pro-democracy protests gained traction from mid-2005 onward.

In 2004, several Members of Parliament advocated for his resignation as Prime Minister following their decision to boycott the inauguration of the Tonga Legislative Assembly. Among the MPs was Fred Sevele, who cited the closure of Royal Tongan Airlines as one of several adverse events associated with the Prime Minister's tenure. Sevele questioned the Prime Minister's ability to govern Tonga, asserting that an inability to manage an airline raised doubts about his capacity to govern the country effectively.

In 2006, the Nukuʻalofa riots underscored a growing dissatisfaction with the existing political structure, calls for increased political representation and a more equal distribution of power.

Diplomatic career
He took on the position of the chief of mission for Tonga's High Commission in Canberra when it was inaugurated in 2008, a position he held until his succession to the Tongan throne in 2012. This move represented a notable development in Tonga's diplomatic relations with Australia, highlighting the establishment of a formal diplomatic presence.

Concurrently, he served as a non-resident Ambassador to Japan from 15 January 2010 until his succession in 2012.

Marriage and family
ʻAhoʻeitu is married to Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho, daughter of Baron Vaea. They have three children and four grandchildren. Their eldest child, Princess Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho (Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataʻaho Napua-o-kalani Tukuʻaho), born on November 17, 1983, has been the High Commissioner to Australia since August 22, 2012.

Their second child, Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala (Siaosi Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho), born on September 17, 1985, married his second cousin, Sinaitakala Fakafanua, on July 12, 2012. They have four children: Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo (born May 10, 2013), Princess Halaevalu Mataʻaho (born July 12, 2015), Princess Nanasipauʻu (born March 20, 2018), and Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu (born February 25, 2021).

Their third child is Prince Ata (Viliami ʻUnuaki-ʻo-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-ʻEiki Tukuʻaho), born on April 27, 1988.

Upon his confirmation as heir presumptive, he acquired the traditional title of Tupoutoʻa, reserved for crown princes, a position his older brother relinquished due to marrying a commoner. Prior to ascending the throne, he was known as Tupoutoʻa Lavaka. His elder son, Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, holds the title of ʻUlukālala of Fangatongo, while his second son, Prince Ata, was bestowed with the title ʻAta of Hihifo.

Coronation
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. About 15,000 guests attended the celebration.

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.

Reign
On 25 August 2017, Tupou VI dismissed Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, dissolved the Legislative Assembly, and ordered early elections to be held by mid-November. Following the king's dissolution of the government, the speaker, Lord Tuʻivakanō, issued a statement explaining his advice to the King that led him to dismiss the Prime Minister. Lord Tuʻivakanō stated that Pōhiva had made unconstitutional moves, including signing international agreements without the King's consent. On 15 January 2022, he was temporarily relocated from the Royal Palace following the eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai and the ensuing tsunami.

Loss of confidence in ministers
On 2 February 2024, Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni was absent from Tonga, receiving medical treatment in New Zealand. During this time, King Tupou VI purportedly revoked the appointment of Siaosi Sovaleni as the armed forces minister and Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu as the minister of foreign affairs and tourism, with the nine noble MPs urging them to resign from their ministerial positions. The Attorney-General of Tonga, Linda Folaumoetu'i, advised the Cabinet that the King's action was unconstitutional.

In response to the revocation of their appointments, Siaosi Sovaleni and Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu publicly announced their resignation from their respective ministerial positions in April 2024.