QUEEN SALOTE OF TONGA MAY REVISIT BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29177, 11 April 1960, Page 2

QUEEN SALOTE OF TONGA MAY REVISIT BRITAIN

IBy

SUSAN VAUGHAN]

Queen Salote Tupou of Tonga, who has just celebrated her sixtieth birthday, may visit Britain this year. I understand that she wishes to make the 17.000-mile trip to renew many friendships she made when attending the Coronation in 1953. Recently,, the Friendly Isles of Tonga have been coming more under the influence of the Japanese, whose methods of running the fishing trade are much admired by the Queen’s elder son, Crown Prince Tungi, also the Prime Minister. But Salote remains a staunch admirer of Britain. Queen Salote has been ruler of Tonga for 42 years, ever since she succeeded her father, King George 11. Like Queen Victoria, she ascended the throne at the age of 18. She is the tallest (6ft 3in) and heaviest (20st.) queen in the world, and the only woman in the Commonwealth beside Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother who is entitled to be addressed as “Your Highness-.” Married At 17 Born in 1900, the year her island kingdom in the South Pacific became a British protectorate, she was sent to New Zealand to be educated at the age of 10. She married at 17 and has been a widow since 1941 when Prince Tungi died. It was Queen Salote, who, in 1933, alone of the Commonwealth, put economic sanctions into force against Japan. In September, 1939, she put all the resources of Tonga at the disposal of the Allied cause. Her kingdom of 150 islands and 50,000 people provided three Spitfires for Britain, an aerodrome and 2700 fighting men. For her services the Queen was advanced in 1946 from the dignity of D.B.E. to that of Dame Grand Cross. But Britons will best remember this gay, indomitable woman for the way she rode in an open carriage in the Coronation pro-

cession, smiling all the time and refusing to take shelter from the pouring rain. Few Powers Although she is ruler of Tonga and a direct descendant of King George Tupou I, who united the islands in the mid-nineteenth century, Queen Salote does not have great powers. It is a constitutional monarchy, with a Privy Council, a Cabinet and a Parliament. Her country has democratic laws, its own passports, postage stamps and currency laws. But Salote, respected and loved by her people, commands considerable influence in the administration of Tonga and she has retained certain ancient powers such as the right to censor public entertainments. She is also the official head of her country’s church, the “Wesleyan Free Church of Tonga.” In Auckland Till July (New Zealand Fress Association) AUCKLAND, April 10. More than 100 Tongan subjects living in Auckland gathered on Princes wharf in dismal drizzle on Saturday to greet their monarch. Queen Salote, who arrived in the Tofua for a private visit. An aide said her Majesty usually came here during the summer, but this year had decided on a change of plans. She will remain until July. In her party of 10 are her two granddaughters. They ane the only members of her immediate family in the party. Her visits, the aide said, made every two years, were on medical advice. Queen Salote was met by Lieu-tenant-Colonel J. D. Rose, aide to the Governor-General (Lord Cobham), the Minister of Works (Mr Watt), and by representatives of the agents for the Tongan Government in New Zealand. Queen Salote is staving at her private residence in Epsom.