Today was a historic day for the tiny island nation of Tonga as King George Tupou V officially took the throne. The tiny island nation of Tonga has a population of just 101,000 and is located between New Zealand and Hawaii.  The 60-year-old bachelor king took the throne in September 2006, succeeding his late father, but his coronation was postponed after rioting over political reform left eight people dead, and the centre of the capital, Nuku’alofa, virtually burned to the ground.

King George Tupou V has been quick to implement reforms announcing that he will relinquish the near-absolute rule his family has held for generations. In his announcement he stated that he will surrender his role in day to day affairs of the government, leaving them in the charge of the prime minister. However, he will keep the monarch’s judicial powers, including the ability to commute prison sentences and appoint judges.  These changes are being heralded by many nations noting that these reforms may aid in the development of this nation, which until now has been one of the least developed and poorest nations in the Pacific.

Of course right now Tongans are focused on celebrating the coronation of their new king. The coronation celebration is expected to cost around $4 million dollars, with $400,000 dollars being spent on coronation robes and a gold sceptre.   In addition to the thousands of islanders who have travelled to the capital the celebrations will also be attended by Foreign dignitaries and some members of European and Asian royal families.

Article Source: The Guardian