Eiki Fakaʻosifono Valevale, who proposed to the king’s only daughter, and his Kolonga kāinga have arrived with presentation and Tongan faiva at the Nukuʻalofa royal palace.
ʻEiki Fakaʻosifono proposed to Princess Latufuipeka Angelika Tuku’aho on January 2014.
Spokespersons at the Palace Office who did not want to be identified said the presentation was a “faitohi” or the practice of approaching the princess’ parents seeking her hand in marriage.
Lord Nuku, Faka’osifono’s father, told Kaniva News yesterday afternoon the presentation was a normal procedure for the nobility and their kāinga (relatives, families and residents of their estates) to visit and meet the king in the new year.
He said part of the presentation was to check on his son’s proposal to the princess.
He said the king’s herald responded and said he was not in a position to say “yes or no” on the proposal.
According to Lord Nuku this meant the king has yet to make decision on the proposal.
Lord Nuku vehemently denied reports on social media that His Majesty has assented for ‘Eiki Faka’osifono to wed Princess Latufuipeka.
“No the king has not made any such royal assent. We are still awaiting his decision”, Lord Nuku told us.
The son of Lord Malupo of ‘Uiha, ‘Eiki Makahokovalu presented a Tongan Christmas card to the Princess on December 2014.
Makahokovalu’s Christmas card presentation was intended to be followed with his wedding proposal to the Princess on March 2015. But this has been postponed since then.
Under the Tongan constitution, “It shall not be lawful for any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne to marry any person without the consent of the King. And if any person should thus marry the marriage shall not be considered legal and it shall be lawful for the King to cancel the right of such person and his heirs to succeed to the Crown of Tonga”.
Princess Latufuipeka, 33, is number five in line to the Tongan throne.