Tonga prepares to bury its king

Posted March 27, 2012 07:37:18

Final preparations are underway in Tonga for today's funeral of King George Tupou V.

Foreign dignitaries are this morning being escorted to the Royal Palace to pay their respects to the 63-year-old monarch, who died eight days ago in Hong Kong, which he had been visiting ahead of a rugby tournament.

His body was flown home on a China Southern jet which touched down at Fua'amuotu International Airport yesterday afternoon.

The prime minister and a group of nobles clothed in the traditional mourning dress of pandanus mats walked out on to the tarmac to greet the plane, as locals and foreign dignitaries watched on.

Thousands of school children and villagers lined the 20-kilometre route to the palace.

An all-night prayer vigil was held for King George and officials say the monarch will be given a traditional Tongan burial and will be carried to his resting place on an ornamental platform held aloft by 150 people.

Australia's Governor-General Quentin Bryce will be among the foreign dignitaries attending the funeral.

The country is swathed in black during the official mourning period, which lasts until mid-June.

King George had been receiving treatment for cancer and type-2 diabetes.

During his reign, which began in 2006, he relinquished many of the monarchy’s powers and was a driving force behind the country's first democratic elections.

But he was also known for his penchant for elaborate uniforms and for being driven around his country in a London taxi cab.

Topics: royal-and-imperial-matters, human-interest, tonga