His Majesty King George Tupou V

The Sovereign of the only Polynesian Kingdom, whose official coronation took place on August 1 2008, is voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people. They see Tonga's royal heritage as integral to the country's culture and identity, but favour a more representative, elected Parliament. The King agrees with them. Editor's Note - To clarify the discussion over the King surrendering his powers, we are reprinting a Press Release that was issued by the Office of the Lord Chamberlain on July 28, 2008.