Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 7

The Japanese Honeysuckle Tiara

The Japanese Honeysuckle Tiara was first worn by Setsuko, Princess Chichibu.

The British-born Setsuko Matsudaira wore the tiara when she married Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, the second son of Emperor Yoshihito, in 1928. The couple had no surviving children together, and the tiara returned to the imperial vaults after the death of the Princess in 1995.

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The Japanese Honeysuckle tiara reappeared ten years later on the head of Empress Michiko. The Empress had a preference for this tiara as it was not as heavy as the others she wore. She no longer wears tiaras at all, but perhaps it will reappear on Empress Masako instead.

 

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Frederica Charlotte of Prussia- The forgotten Duchess of York (Part two)

Read part one here.

After the wedding, Queen Charlotte wrote to Elisabeth Christine, “If anything could add to my satisfaction at the choice of my son, it would be the lively interest which your Majesty takes in the fate of this Princess, your pupil, and I assure you that a Princess brought up under your eye, and to whom you render so high a testimony, shall find in me not only a mother but a friend; and I hope that in gaining the Princess’s friendship, I shall also gain a part in yours, which would be of great value to me.”1

The new Duchess of York wrote home to her great-aunt about how well Queen Charlotte had kept her promise. She also wrote about how the Queen had placed a portrait of her great-aunt in her room “and that the sight of that dear face had moved her to tears, even in the midst of her bridal happiness, as the thought of the happy days she had spent under her aunt’s care came over her mind.”2 The newlyweds settled at Oatlands Park, which the Duke had had furnished three years earlier with a games room, a pool and a grotto.

The marriage ceremony (public domain)

A second wedding ceremony took place in the Saloon at Buckingham House on 23 November. It was reported that “the Prince of Wales gave the bride away; and as soon as the religious service was finished, the Duchess of York went to his Majesty, and attempted to kneel, which the King with some difficulty prevented, and, raising her in his arms, embraced her most affectionately.”3

A caricature focusing on Frederica’s dowry © The Trustees of the British Museum, released as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frederica had joined a new court, but her mind was still in Prussia. The year after her wedding, her father, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of Austria had signed a defensive alliance against France. Her father and brothers were now preparing to go to war as France demanded that Austria withdraw from territories in Flanders. Nevertheless, her sister-in-law, Princess Sophia, wrote, “What a joy it must be to Papa and Mama and all of us to see how fond they are of each other.”4

Frederica’s brother-in-law, the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), was in Brighton at the time with his mistress, Mrs Fitzherbert. She was angry with Frederica because she refused to treat her as a sister-in-law.5 The Prince of Wales had married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785, but this marriage was invalid due to the Royal Marriages Act 1772. Having a mistress was no novelty in this family. The Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) was living with an actress named Mrs Jordan, and the Duke of Kent was living it up with Mme de St Laurent.

Bad news arrived when the French Republic was declared, and the French army had defeated the Austrians and taken Flanders. In January 1793, after the trial and execution of King Louis XVI, France declared war on Britain and the United Netherlands. The Duke of York was appointed commander-in-chief of the British forces and intended to push France out of Flanders. He departed in February. In September 1793, the Duke of York wrote home about how the British had been unsuccessful in taking Dunkirk from the French. Frederica was at Oatlands when the letter came, and she reportedly finished her game before opening the letter.6 The Duke was safe but he felt humiliated. The Prime Minister went to King George III and demanded that the Duke of York had to be withdrawn from his command.

He returned home in February 1794, but the recall would prove to be the end of his marriage to Frederica. She had little respect for a husband who had been publicly exposed as an inadequate commander. They separated, and the Duchess continued to live at Oatlands. Their separation was amicable, and the Duke often came to visit Oatlands. Their union had not produced any children, leaving the succession in doubt as the Prince of Wales had not contracted a legal marriage.7

Left with little choice due to his debt and the lack of heirs, the Prince of Wales married his first cousin, Caroline of Brunswick, on 8 April 1795. George later stated that the marriage was consummated on three occasions and that it was quite lucky that Caroline had fallen pregnant. She gave birth to the couple’s only child, Princess Charlotte, on 7 January 1796. The couple lived together at Carlton House for about a year but rarely saw each other. Dislike had grown to hate. Caroline moved out of Carlton House and could only spend one day a week with her daughter.

Frederica’s life at Oatlands became filled with animals. She showed great care for Princess Charlotte, who was trapped between her warring parents. Charlotte always enjoyed her visits to her aunt, as she too was a great lover of animals. Frederica had monkeys, pet dogs, kangaroos, ostriches, and parrots. She gained a reputation for her eccentricity, but Charlotte lovingly called her “the little Duchess.”8 According to Charlotte, Frederica’s “kindness is very great and her anxiety to please everybody and to make it agreeable is flattering to everyone’s feelings.”9

In November 1811, Charlotte had a particularly nice day at Oatlands, and she was “amazingly happy.” She was allowed to return in December, where she found Frederica “as kind as possible.”10

Frederica was always on Princess Charlotte’s side, and she was very happy when a possible match with the Prince of Orange was announced, as the Prince was Frederica’s nephew. Charlotte later wrote that Frederica “expressed herself as being excessively happy and glad, and indeed I have not seen her in such spirits for some time.”11 When the match was later cancelled, Frederica was “excessively angry” with Charlotte.12

Part three coming soon.

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Frederica Charlotte of Prussia – The forgotten Duchess of York (Part one)

Frederica Charlotte of Prussia was born on 7 May 1767 as the only child of the future King Frederick William II of Prussia and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Her parents’ marriage was particularly unhappy, and both of them had sought love outside of the marriage. But while Frederick William’s exploits were ignored, Elisabeth Christine’s caused outrage. Even Elisabeth Christine’s mother wrote to Frederick William’s uncle, the reigning King Frederick II of Prussia, “You cannot imagine the infinite pain I feel upon learning from you the outrageous circumstances surrounding my daughter’s behaviour. I am despairing that she has so forgotten herself as to allow herself to be carried away by such baseness and indignities that dishonour her and will be an eternal stain on the family’s honour.”1

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (public domain)

King Frederick decided to dissolve the marriage of his heir in April 1769, and Frederica Charlotte’s mother was exiled from Berlin. She would never see her daughter again and died in Stettin in 1840 at the age of 93. Little Frederica was placed in the care of her paternal grandmother, Luise, who was known as Princess Augustus William of Prussia. After her grandmother’s death in 1780, she was raised by King Frederick II’s wife, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern.

King Frederick wrote to his wife that he was in need of a foster mother for Frederica. He wrote, “There is still this poor child who has been left… and now can find asylum with you. You would do a great favour for me if you would care for her, just as her passed-on grandmother did up to now. You can easily imagine the reason which I have, to bring this business to an end. The apartments in the [Berlin] castle do not offer any difficulties, and one could under the pretense of attachment, which you have felt for the dead Princess, guide into the paths…”2 A few days later, he added, “After I had surveyed the castle, I have… found the rooms… which one could give to the little one… I shall have them made ready so the little one can move into it tomorrow.”3

Frederica’s father had remarried just six months after the divorce from her mother to Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt. It was said that she was “an amiable, virtuous, and pleasing woman, possessing, indeed, neither the personal attractions nor the graces of her predecessor, but exempt from her errors and defects. She is of the middle size, her countenance agreeable, though not handsome, her manners easy and engaging, her character estimable and formed to excite universal respect.”4 She fulfilled her primary duty quickly, and Frederica gained a half-brother, the future King Frederick William III, on 3 August 1770. Three more sons and two daughters, including Wilhelmina, the future Queen of the Netherlands, followed.

On 17 August 1786, Frederick the Great died at the age of 74, and he was succeeded by Frederica’s father, who was now King Frederick William II of Prussia.

Frederick, Duke of York (public domain)

In May 1791, Prince Frederick, the second son of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, travelled to Berlin to court Frederica. The Prince had been created Duke of York and Albany in 1784. They had met several times before at the court of her uncle, King Frederick, known as The Great. From Berlin he wrote to his old tutor, General Grenville, “You knew for many years that the Princess Frederique has been a flame of mine, and you will not forget that when we left Berlin four years ago I the told you that I should be very glad to marry her if it could be brought about. The different events that have happened during the last four years have hindered me till now from declaring myself, but still I can safely say I never lost sight of my object… I have no doubt of being perfectly happy. The Princess is the best girl that ever existed, and the more I see of her, the more I like her.”5

Their wedding took place at Charlottenburg Palace on 29 September 1791. It was reported, “About six o’clock, all persons who were of princely blood assembled in gala, in the apartment of the dowager queen, where the diamond crown was put on the head of the Princess Frederica. […] In the White Hall, a canopy was erected of crimson velvet, beneath which was a sofa of the same kind for the marriage ceremony. When the young couple had placed themselves under the canopy, before the sofa, with the royal family around them, the upper counsellor of the consistory, M. Von Sack, made a speech in German. This being done, rings were exchanged, and the illustrious couple, kneeling on the sofa, were married according to the rites of the Lutheran church. The whole ended with a prayer; and twelve guns, placed in the garden, having fired three rounds, the benediction was given; after which the newly-married couple received the congratulations of their royal relatives. […] The Duke of York wore on this happy day the English uniform, and the Princess Frederica was dressed in a suit of drap d’argent, ornamented with diamonds. “6

Reports reached England that the couple “were deeply in love and talked of nothing but retiring to England, ‘and living with and for each other.'”7 Her new husband had reportedly spent £20,000 on jewels for her.8 The new Duchess of York received much praise from her sister-in-law, Charlotte, Princess Royal, who described her as a “charming little woman.”9 And they became close friends.

Part two coming soon.

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Who would be Queen of the Two Sicilies today?

The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies existed from 1816 to 1861 in southern Italy. It was absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 under King Victor Emmanuel II.

However, the heirs of the lost kingdom still exist today. The kingdom operated under Salic law, which did not allow for the succession of women. The Queens mentioned are, therefore, consorts and not reigning Queens. Any claimed titles since the end of the kingdom are titular.

The last King of the Two Sicilies was King Francis II of the Two Sicilies, whose wife was Marie Sophie of Bavaria. Their only child was a daughter who lived for only three months. The headship of the house passed to Francis’s half-brother, Prince Alfonso. His wife was Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, with whom he had twelve children.

His heir was Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Castro. His wife was Princess Maria Ludwiga Theresia of Bavaria, but the couple’s only son died at the age of 13. This caused the headship of the house to pass to Prince Ferdinand Pius’s fourth brother, Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro. His three other younger brothers had predeceased him. However, this was disputed by the descendants of his father’s eldest brother, Carlos, who had predeceased him but had left descendants.

Carlos had married Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, and in anticipation of that, he had executed the Act of Cannes in 1900. Ranieri argued that Carlos had thus renounced his claims to the Sicilian throne, but Carlos’s son Alfonso argued that this would only have been effective if Mercedes had succeeded to the Spanish throne, which did not happen. Thus, the claim to the headship of the house has remained disputed since then.

The claim of Prince Ranieri passed to his son, Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro. Ranieri was married to Countess Maria Carolina Zamoyska, and they also had a daughter. Prince Ferdinand married Chantal de Chevron-Villette in 1949. This marriage was initially considered to be morganatic but was declared dynastic when his father became the disputed head of the house. This was also disputed by the other claimant. Ferdinand and Chantal had three children, including a son, Prince Carlos, who is the current disputed head of the house. He is married to Camilla Crociani and they have two daughters together. As such, Camilla would be one of the disputed Queens of the Two Sicilies.

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She was born in Rome on 5 April 1971. She lived in New York, where she attended Marymount High School and later New York University. She speaks fluent Italian, French, English, Spanish and Japanese. She married Prince Carlos in 1998 and they have two daughters together. In 2016, he decreed that the rules of succession be changed to absolute primogeniture.1 This makes his eldest daughter, Princess Maria-Carolina, Duchess of Calabria, his heir.

The claim of Prince Alfonso is the second claim to the headship of the royal house. He was married to Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma, and they had three children together. Their only son, Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria, succeeded to the headship in 1964. He was married to Princess Anne of Orléans in 1965, and they had five children together. Upon his death in 2015, the claim passed to his only son, Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria. He married Sofía Landaluce y Melgarejo in 2001, who would thus be the second of the disputed Queens of the Two Sicilies. They have seven children together, including his heir, Prince Jaime, Duke of Noto.

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Sofía was born on 23 November 1973 in Madrid as the daughter of José Manuel Landaluce y Domínguez and María de las Nieves Blanca Melgarejo y González.

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Princess Akiko’s Tiara

Princess Akiko’s Tiara belongs to Princess Akiko of Mikasa, a second cousin of Emperor Naruhito of Japan.

Princess Akiko received the tiara on the occasion of her 20th birthday in 2001. This is the age of majority in Japan.

The tiara consists of diamonds and pearls, as is traditional.

Glittering Imperial Tiaras at the annual Ceremony of New Year’s Celebration at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo: https://t.co/KAL03FJrbv pic.twitter.com/Vt6DI4OsvH

— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) January 1, 2019

Princess Akiko is the fourth from the right.

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Royal burials in the United States (Part one)

Some royals have ended up in the United States, either by choice or after being exiled from their country. Some have never left.

Here are some female royals who are buried in the United States.1

Hawaiian royals

The Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown in 1893 and subsequently annexed by the United States in 1898. It officially became a state in 1959. The Hawaiian royals were traditionally buried in the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii in Honolulu. Other burial places include O’ahu Cemetery in Honolulu, Waiola Church on Maui, and Lunalilo Mausoleum in Honolulu.

Princess Fathia of Egypt

Fathia (left) with her sister, Faika (public domain)

Princess Fathia was born on 17 December 1930 as the youngest daughter of King Fuad I of Egypt and Nazli Sabri. She was just five years old when her father died and her brother became King Farouk I of Egypt. She spent her youth in Egypt, but when she was 18 years old, she travelled with her mother and sister Faika to the United States. Her mother underwent a kidney surgery there, and after that, Princess Fathia settled in the United States. In 1950, she married Riyad Ghali, who had been a royal adviser. They were married at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on 24 May 1950. She converted to Catholicism to her brother’s horror, and he banned her from Egypt. They were reconciled the following year. In 1952, King Farouk was overthrown, and he went into exile in Italy. Fathia and her husband settled in the United States, and they went on to have three children together. They were divorced in 1973. Fathia ended up in money trouble, and she worked as a cleaner. She was shot and killed, likely by her ex-husband, on 10 December 1976. She was still only 45 years old.

She was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City in California.

Princess Faiza of Egypt

(public domain)

Princess Faiza was Princess Fathia’s elder sister. She was born on 8 November 1923. She married Bulent Rauf on 17 May 1945 and they lived in Cairo.  They did not have any children together and eventually divorced in 1962. After the end of the monarchy, Princess Faiza and her husband lived in Turkey, then Spain and France. After the separation, she settled in Beverly Hills in the United States. She died on 9 June 1994.

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She was buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles.

Queen Nazli Sabri

(public domain)

Queen Nazli was the mother of Fathia and Faiza. After the successful kidney surgery, Queen Nazli also remained in the United States. She had supported Fathia’s marriage, much to her son’s horror. At first, Nazi lived with Fathia and her family in a mansion in Beverly Hills. After Fathia’s divorce, she moved into a small apartment and began selling off her jewellery to pay off her debts. Fathia eventually came to live with her. Nazli died on 29 May 1978.

She was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City in California.

Princess Vera Constantinovna of Russia

(public domain)

Princess Vera was born on 24 April 1906 as the youngest child of Grand Duke Konstantine Konstantinovich of Russia and his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavrikievna (born Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg). She was a great-granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas I. She spent her early years in Russia. Her elder brother, Oleg, was killed during the First World War. In 1915, her father died of a heart attack. At the beginning of the Revolution, they stayed in Russia, and four of her brothers were imprisoned by the Bolsheviks. Three were eventually killed. Her mother received an offer to come to Sweden from Sweden’s Queen Victoria. Princess Vera, her mother, her brother George and two nephews and two nieces were permitted to leave. Two more siblings were later able to come as well. They spent the next few years moving around due to their poor finances. Princess Vera lived in Germany for a long time and spent the Second World War there. She moved to the United States in 1951, where she was active for the Tolstoy Foundation. Princess Vera died in New York on 1 January 2001 at the age of 94.

She was buried next to her brother, Prince George, at the cemetery of the Russian Orthodox Monastery of Novo-Diveevo in Nanuet, New York.

Princess Marie Louise of Orléans

(public domain)

Princess Marie Louise was born on 31 December 1896 as the daughter of Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, Duke of Vendôme and Princess Henriette of Belgium. She was a great-great-granddaughter of Louis Philippe I, King of the French, through her father, and a great-granddaughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians, through her mother. On 12 January 1916, she married Prince Philip of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and they had one son together before their divorce in 1925. She remarried in 1928 to a New York businessman, Walter F. Kingsland Jr. They moved to the United States, Redding, Connecticut, more specifically. They did not have any children together, and she was widowed in 1961. Marie Louise died on 8 March 1973 in New York City.

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She was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York City.

Part two coming soon.

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Women who were passed over – Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein is the only European which completely bars women from the throne. So, how many women missed out on being a reigning princess due to this rule?

Princess Anna Maria of Liechtenstein (1601 – 1640)

Karl I became the first Prince of Liechtenstein in 1608. He and his wife, Anna Maria Šemberová of Boskovice and Černá Hora and Aussee, had three surviving children. His youngest child, Karl Eusebius, succeeded him in 1627. His eldest daughter, Princess Anna Maria, was thus passed over. She married Maximilian, Prince of Dietrichstein, in 1618. They had thirteen children together, including a daughter named Johanna Beatrix, who married her cousin Karl Eusebius. Princess Anna Maria died on  6 November 1655.

Princess Eleonora Maria of Liechtenstein (1647 – 1704)

Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife and cousin, Johanna Beatrix, had nine children together, of which several died young. He was succeeded by his youngest child, who became Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein. His eldest surviving child was Princess Eleonora Maria. She was born on 15 May 1647. On 4 July 1666, she married Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg, and they had four children together. She died on 4 August 1703.

Princess Maria Elisabeth of Liechtenstein (1683 – 1744)

Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife, Princess Edmunda Maria of Dietrichstein-Nikolsburg, had seven children together but their two sons both predeceased their father without leaving any heirs. Their eldest daughter was Princess Maria Elisabeth. She was born on 8 May 1683. On 3 May 1715, she married the future Leopold, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg, and they had five daughters together. She died on 4 May 1744. Her father was succeeded by a distant cousin who became Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein.

Princess Leopoldina of Liechtenstein (1754 – 1823)

Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein, had no surviving children, and he was succeeded by his nephew, who became Franz Joseph I, Prince of Liechtenstein. Franz Joseph and his wife, Leopoldine von Sternberg, had eight children together, though not all survived to adulthood. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, who became Aloys I, Prince of Liechtenstein. His eldest surviving child was Princess Leopoldina, who was born on 30 January 1754. On 1 September 1771, Leopoldina married Charles Emmanuel, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg, and they had two children together. She died on 16 October 1823.

Princess Marie Franziska of Liechtenstein (1834 – 1909)

Aloys II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife, Countess Franziska Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau, had 11 children together, nine daughters and two sons. One daughter died as a teenager. Aloys II was succeeded by his sixth child and eldest son, who became Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein. Aloys II’s eldest child was Princess Marie Franziska. She was born on 20 September 1834. On 29 October 1860, she married Count Ferdinand of Trauttmansdorff-Weinsberg, and they had six children together. She died on 1 December 1909.

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Grave of King of Prussia’s bigamous wife rediscovered

The grave of the King of Prussia’s bigamous wife has most likely been rediscovered in Berlin.

Julia von Voss was bigamously married to King Frederick William II of Prussia in 1787 while he was still married to Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt. She had been a lady-in-waiting to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, the wife of Frederick the Great. A few months after the wedding, she received the title of Countess of Ingenheim. Their son, Gustav Adolf Wilhelm, was born on 2 January 1789.

(public domain)

Julia died just two months later from the effects of pulmonary tuberculosis. She was buried in a crypt in Buch Castle Church, but the exact location had been forgotten until it was rediscovered. 

State Monument Office Berlin, Gunnar Nath

The crypt was discovered on 8 July during renovation work by employees of the Berlin State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments. The coffin is richly decorated and dates from the late 18th century and thus most likely belongs to Julie von Voss.

The grave and crypt will be resealed and preserved in the original location.

State Monument Office Berlin, Gunnar Nath

Dr. Sebastian Heber, Head of the Department of Archaeology and Monument Preservation, said, “The well-preserved wooden coffin, decorated with numerous gilded mouldings and medallions, was found in the rectangular, brick-lined, earth-filled crypt. The find is extraordinary: The burial site provides us with valuable insights into an exceptional female burial at the end of the 18th century.”

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The Year of Queen Sālote Tupou III – The Queen’s half-sister: ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku (Part two)

Read part one here.

Fortunately for Fusipala, Queen Sālote was sympathetic, and she did not put pressure on her sister to marry.

Early in 1928, Fusipala joined the Tupou College Choir for some of their concerts. She danced, played the piano and sang. She developed a romantic attachment with one of the commoner boys in the choir, Tēvita Tu’ipulotu Toutaiolepo. He was two years older than her, and Queen Sālote had personally contributed to his school fees.1 Fusipala left Melbourne for Tonga in December 1928, and she and Tēvita continued to write to each other. Queen Sālote did not outright forbid their relationship, but in the end, she could not consent to it. Fusipala would not be able to marry without the Queen’s consent and keep her place in the line of succession. If she did marry without consent, she would be removed from the line of succession and be considered dead to her father’s kāinga (kin).

During the next four years, her mother’s family continued to throw marriage proposals in the mix, hoping that Queen Sālote would agree to one. Ha’amea, the one twice her age with half a dozen kids, continued to be offered as a suitable option, even after it was discovered that he had embezzled funds. Worn down by her mother’s family, Fusipala agreed to marry him in 1929 when she was 17 years old. However, when it came time to celebrate the betrothal, Fusipala told her sister that she did not want to marry him. People were angry with her and blamed the Queen for not forcing Fusipala to go through with it.

Two years later, her brother-in-law suggested Havea Tuʻihaʻateiho, who outranked Ha’amea, and Fusipala initially agreed to marry him. She withdrew her promise not much later, claiming he was too boring and too old. He was 33 years old, while she was 19.2 Fusipala agreed to a third betrothal not much later to a man named Lala. He was the heir to the noble title Veikune and six years older than her. He was also the Queen’s second cousin through her mother, Lavinia. A rumour had appeared that Fusipala’s aunt had walked to the palace, gone upstairs and “dragged” her niece away in front of the Queen’s eyes. However, the Queen’s private secretary recorded in his diary that Fusipala had run away from the palace to her aunt’s house. This act, which represented the leaving of her sister’s protection, was such a scandal that he recorded it in red ink.3 Her mother’s family did not agree with this match, probably because he was related to the Queen. The betrothal ended with Fusipala commenting that he was a “bitter” man and there was an even better match on the horizon.4

The entire business had taken a toll on Fusipala’s health; she smoked, could not eat or sleep, and almost had a nervous breakdown. She was stuck between her loyalty to her mother’s family and her sister, the Queen.5 It turned out that Fusipala had run away from the palace because she wanted to avoid telling her sister about her latest engagement. It was her aunt who eventually broke the news to Queen Sālote that Fusipala and Sēmisi Fatafehi Fonua had sworn an oath before God that they would marry. Sēmisi was a cousin of both Fusipala and the Queen, and his mother was a granddaughter of the last Tu’i Tonga. He was also the heir to his father and his uncle, Sioeli Pangia. If they had children, they would be of such a high rank that they would outrank the Queen’s sons in the eyes of many of the aristocracy.

This pleased her mother’s family so much that they tried to pressure Queen Sālote into giving her consent. Queen Sālote told them that she would be insulting the other nobles if she agreed to the match. In the end, Fusipala and Sēmisi asked the President of the Wesleyan Church to absolve them of their solemn oath. On 8 March 1932, all three appeared before Queen Sālote, and Sēmisi was told he should marry Sisilia, a first cousin of Queen Sālote’s husband.

On the day their oath was absolved, Fusipala had written to the Queen’s private secretary, begging him to intercede with the Queen on her behalf. She wrote that she knew the Queen was rightfully angry with her because of her disobedience and because she had humiliated the Queen. She now felt unable to return to the palace. She also did not wish to be dependent on her mother’s family, who were angry with disappointment. Fusipala asked to have a household set up at Finefekai.

Queen Sālote felt that Fusipala could not be trusted with her own household. Fusipala’s aunt punished her by “thrashing” her.6 A desperate Fusipala turned to self-destructive behaviour, and she began smoking more and eating even less. Just six months later, one of her suitors returned to the stage – Ha’amea.

Queen Sālote gave her consent to the match after being assured of Fusipala’s agreement. Queen Sālote tried to show her good intentions by ordering wedding clothes and the wedding cake. Meanwhile, Fusipala remained with her aunt. Fusipala saw her sister again at a funeral on 20 October 1932, and she asked if she could return to the palace. Queen Sālote gave her consent, and she returned a few days later. Once home, Fusipala confided to her sister that she had been coerced by her aunt to agree to the engagement. Fusipala was on the edge of a nervous breakdown, and Queen Sālote immediately called for a physician. He advised that Fusipala should go overseas to regain her health. The engagement was off.

The advice to live abroad, at least for a while, brought another suitor into the mix. His name was George Cakobau, and he was a cousin of their illegitimate half-brother Edward. He was a Fijian chief, which made him an acceptable match. Fusipala agreed to marry him and to live outside of Tonga. Fusipala left Tonga with very little fanfare on 20 November 1932, and she reportedly said, “Goodbye, Tonga, Goodbye” as she left as if she expected not to return.7

Fusipala enjoyed her time away, and she spent some time in Sydney with the Hewitt family. She was still in Sydney when she fell ill in February. By March, it appeared she was getting better, and her return journey to Tonga was booked for the end of April. However, her condition deteriorated, and she was admitted to the hospital. She died on 21 April 1933 of tubercular peritonitis. She was still only 20 years old. Her brother-in-law was by her side, as he just happened to be enrolling one of his sons at school there.

Fusipala’s body returned home to Tonga on 10 May, and she lay in state in the throne room for two days. Queen Sālote gave her half-sister the royal burial she had not accorded Fusipala’s mother. She was buried at Malaʻekula on 12 May in the vault of their grandfather.

Queen Sālote wrote a lament for Fusipala, “Awake, ‘Elisiva, and walk, that I may see your beautiful feet, which were like a torch of lights, as you walked around our house.”8

The post The Year of Queen Sālote Tupou III – The Queen’s half-sister: ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku (Part two) appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Book News Week 31

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Book News Week 31 – 28 July – 3 August 2025

Cecily Neville: Mother of Richard III 

Paperback – 30 July 2025 (US)

Jahan Ara Begum 1614–1681: A Biographical Study 

Hardcover – 29 July 2025 (US)

African Women of the Ancient World: Queens, Consorts, Warriors – Women 

Hardcover – 30 July 2025 (US)

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Woman, Queen and Legend (Medieval Lives) 

Hardcover – 1 August 2025 (UK)

Victoria’s Secret 

Hardcover – 31 July 2025 (UK)

The Art of Queenship in the Hellenistic World 

Hardcover – 31 July 2025 (UK) 

The Many Faces of Anne Boleyn: Interpreting Image and Perception 

Hardcover – 30 July 2025 (UK)

Medieval Nuns at War: Rebellious, Resilient and Rowdy Women 

Hardcover – 31 July 2025 (UK)

The post Book News Week 31 appeared first on History of Royal Women.