RR Phantom
Location : Wasted Space Job/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary
| Subject: Good news: King of Tonga dies Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:41 pm | |
| King George Tupou V of the South Pacific nation of Tonga has died at the age of 63, reports say.
He died at a hospital in Hong Kong with his brother, Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka, at his side, Matangi Tonga Online and NZ media said.
Television New Zealand said the Tongan government had confirmed his death.
Tonga is the last Polynesian monarchy, although the king was instrumental in bringing about democratic reform. He had been king since 2006.
People across the 170-island archipelago were able to vote for their first popularly-elected parliament in November 2010, ending 165 years of feudal rule.
King Tupou said on the eve of the vote he was granting his executive powers to the cabinet and parliament, adding that "in future the sovereign shall act only on the advice of his prime minister".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17420114 |
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