Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake (Sione Ngū Manumataongo; 7 January 1922 – 10 April 1999) was the youngest son of Queen

Sālote Tupou III Sālote Tupou III (born Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu; 13 March 1900 – 16 December 1965) was Queen of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965. She reigned for nearly 48 years, longer than any other Tongan monarch. She was well known for her height ...

and was educated in Tonga and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Tu'ipelehake is a traditional very high-ranking Tongan title. He was the 5th Tu'ipelehake.

Biography

Tuʻi Pelehake attended Newington College,

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, (1941–1942) and Gatton Agricultural College, Queensland, Australia. Fatafehi married Melenaite Tupoumoheofo Veikune (13 November 1924 – 16 March 1993) on the same day as his older brother, the Crown Prince (in that time still called Tupoutoa-Tungī) married Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe. That was the famous double royal wedding (''taane māhanga'') of 10 June 1947. He received the title Tui Pelehake (Fatafehi) from his mother ( Queen Salote) in 1944, and he also received the runner up highest title of Tonga of Tui Faleua (king of the second house). From a non-traditional side, he was conferred an honorary CBE in 1966. He inherited from his mother an artistic side; he was a well-known poet and composer. His career was with his brother in the government. His first assignment was as governor of

Vavaʻu Vavau is an island group, consisting of one large island ( ʻUtu Vavaʻu) and 40 smaller ones, in Tonga. It is part of Vavaʻu District, which includes several other individual islands. According to tradition, the Maui god created both Tongatap ...

(1949–1952), later of

Haʻapai Haʻapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs, and shoals in the central part of Tonga. It has a combined land area of . The Tongatapu island group lies to its south, and the Vavaʻu group lies to its north. Seventeen of the Haʻapai islands are ...

(1952–1953), and he then served as Minister of Health and Lands. In 1965 he took over as

Prime Minister of Tonga The prime minister of Tonga (historically referred to as the premier) is the country's head of government. Tonga is a monarchy with the king, currently Tupou VI, former prime minister, as head of state. The current prime minister is Siaosi Sov ...

when his brother had to vacate the post on becoming king. He remained in this post until he had to withdraw in 1991 because of serious health problems. His last years were spent in a wheelchair on a life support system. He kept the both titles of Tui Pelehake and Tui Faleua for so many years, that they became synonymous with him. But after his death, only the former was conferred to his son ʻUluvalu, while the latter returned to the king. He died on 10 April 1999 in Auckland after a long illness.

Descent

Besides his son who inherited his positions, he also had four daughters and two sons : * Princess

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* Princess 'Elisiva Fusipala Vaha'i, * Prince 'Uluvalu Takeivulangi (Late Tu‘ipelehake), * Princess Lavinia Mata 'o Taone Ma‘afu, * Princess Sinaitakala 'Ofeina-'e-he Langi Fakafanua, who is the mother of the Crown Princess of Tonga Princess Sinaitakala Tuku'aho whom she married her double second cousin the son of queen consort, Queen Nansipau'u and Tupou VI, the Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala. * Prince Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi (Late 6th Tu'ipelehake). **Prince Tu'ipelehake (formerly Viliami Sione Ngu Takeivulai Tuku'aho, the only son of late Tu'ipelehake Mailefihi) has two children with Cassandra Vaea. Prince Tu'ipelehake were wedded but are now divorced. They have two children: a son, Siaosi Tupoulahi Tu'ipelehake and a daughter, Melenaite Tupoumoheofo Tu'ipelehake.

Honours

National

* : Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of Pouono * : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga * : Recipient of the Royal Tongan Medal of Merit * : Recipient of the King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV Silver Jubilee Medal

Foreign

* : Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1977) *: Recipient of the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du couronnement de la Reine Élizabeth II) is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded a ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuʻipelehake, Fatafehi 1922 births 1999 deaths People educated at Newington College Prime Ministers of Tonga Government ministers of Tonga Tongan royalty Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Governors of Vavaʻu People from Nukuʻalofa University of Queensland alumni Tongan expatriates in Australia Ministers of Health of Tonga Foreign ministers of Tonga Sons of monarchs