Flags were flown at half-mast as Tonga joins the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world in mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
RNZ Pacific's correspondent in Tonga, Kalafi Moala, writes about the strong links Tonga shares with the royal family.
It was at her coronation in 1952 that Tonga's Queen Salote III visited Great Britain to attend, and left an indelible memory in the minds of many people.
Queen of Tonga Salote Tupou III (C) gives a reception in honour of Queen Elizabeth II (L) and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (R)'s visit, on December 30, 1953 in Polynesia. Photo: AFP
Queen Salote ordered that the chariot she was riding to be kept open without cover, exposing her to the rain.
It was her Tongan signal of humility and high respect to Queen Elizabeth.
Over the years media and people talked about it, remembering Queen Salote from the South Pacific, and referring to Tonga as Queen Salote's island kingdom.
There has been a close relationship between the royal family of the United Kingdom and the royal family of Tonga.
Even back in 1831 on August 7th, when the founder of modern Tonga, Taufa'ahau was baptized when he converted to Christianity, he chose the name "George" or in Tongan "Siaosi", as his baptism name.
When he became the Tu'i Kanokupolu in 1845, he was crowned by the name King George Tupou I.
A year after her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II visited Tonga in 1953, with her husband Philip Duke of Edinborough.
Photo: ANN RONAN PICTURE LIBRARY/AFP
Queen Salote and her Crown Prince Tungi (later King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV) hosted the royal visit in Tongatapu.
People from all over Tonga came to Nuku'alofa to watch the parades honouring the British Queen. There was no TV or Radio then, so people came to town to have a glimpse of her.
"I think the big thing I can remember was that there were people everywhere in town. It was almost as if every kid in Tonga was lining up beside the road. When the vehicle came on the road I mean the kids were just singing cheering, that's what I can remember quite distinctly as a 4 year-old child at that time," Moala said.
Over the years there have been frequent royal visits between Great Britain's royal family and the Tongan royal family.
