Sālote Tupou III

Sālote Tupou III (born Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu; 13 March 1900 – 16 December 1965) was the first Queen regnant and third Monarch of the Kingdom of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965. She reigned for nearly 48 years, longer than any other Tongan Monarch.

Crown Princess Sālote as a child in 1908.

Sālote was born on 13 March 1900 in Tonga as the eldest daughter and heir of King George Tupou II of Tonga and his first wife, Queen Lavinia Veiongo. She was not popular, as she was perceived as being born from the 'wrong mother' because of her mother's low rank and was disliked so much that it was not safe for her to go outside the palace garden.

Her mother, Queen Lavinia died from tuberculosis on 25 April 1902. After her death, the Chiefs in Tonga urged King George Tupou II for many years to remarry to produce a male heir. On 11 November 1909, when the King finally married the 16-year-old ʻAnaseini Takipō, (half-sister of the rejected candidate 'Ofakivava'u', from the first search of a wife for the King), the chiefs were jubilant. Queen Anaseni gave birth twice, both girls: HRH The Princess ʻOnelua (born 20 March 1911; died of convulsions aged six months, on 19 August 1911) and HRH The Princess ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku (born 26 July 1912; died from tubercular peritonitis on 21 April 1933 aged 20).

In December 1909 Sālote was sent to Auckland, New Zealand to start five years of education. She did return to Tonga every Christmas holiday. After December 1914 the King ordered her to stay home in Tonga as hopes for Queen Anaseni giving birth to a male heir were low. She later began a course of instruction in Tongan history and customs.

Married to Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, she became the mother of Siaosi Tāufa‘āhau Tupoulahi – later King Tāufa‘āhau Tupou IV –, Uiliami Tuku‘aho (5 November 1919 – 28 April 1936), and Sione Ngū Manumataongo – later Tu‘i Pelehake (Fatafehi) –, plus three miscarriages.

Queen Salote died 16 December 1965 at Auckland City Hospital, after a long illness. Her body was flown back to Tonga. She was well known for her height, standing 6 ft 3 in (1.91 metres) tall in her prime.

Tongan 1 paʻanga coin depicting Salote Tupou III.

She was the 21st Tu‘i Kanokupolu and as such only grudgingly accepted by followers of the Tu‘i Tonga, that is the people of Mu‘a. The first years of her reign she spent a lot of effort in reducing their suspicions.

Her marriage to Tungī Mailefihi had been a masterstroke of her father, as Tungī was a direct descendant of the Tu‘i Ha‘atakalaua, which at that time was seen as belonging to the Tu‘i Tonga's kauhala‘uta. Their children therefore combined the blood of the three grand royal dynasties in Tonga.

In 1920–1921, she assisted the Bernice P. Bishop Museum's Bayard Dominick Expedition with their mapping of Tongan archaeological sites by providing access to localities and information. The expedition's reports on the Tongan past—including a large volume of material which still remains unpublished even today—were primarily compiled by Edward Winslow Gifford and provided the groundwork for comprehensive studies of the pre-contact history of the Tongans (Burley 1998). She was also a keen writer and author of dance songs and love poems.

She brought Tonga to international attention when, during her sole visit to Europe, she attended the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London. During the coronation procession, it began to rain and hoods were placed on the carriages in the procession. As Tongan custom dictates that one should not imitate the actions of person they are honouring, she refused a hood and rode through the pouring rain in an open carriage, endearing herself to spectators. She served as Chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee 1954–1965 and patronised the Tonga Red Cross Society.

National honours

•  Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of Pouono (KGCP)
•  Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of King George Tupou I (KGCGT)
•  Tonga: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga (KGCCT)
•  Tonga: Sovereign Recipient of the Royal Tongan Medal of Merit (TMM)

Foreign honours

• Hawaiian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St John
•  United Kingdom: Recipient of the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
•  United Kingdom: Recipient of the King George VI Coronation Medal
•  United Kingdom: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

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