Tonga's king joins old school friends in 60-year reunion [1]
Wednesday, July 6, 2005 - 17:30. Updated on Friday, May 9, 2014 - 16:26.
HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and 13 fellow alumni who attended Law School at University of Sydney over 60 years ago came together for their own celebration yesterday evening July 6, at a special reception hosted at the Australian High Commissioner's residence in Nuku'alofa.
The 13, who attended University of Sydney together with the king, while the king was studying for his Bachelor of Arts and LL B degrees in the late 1930's and early 1940...s, arrived in Tonga with their spouses on Saturday June 2.
They were invited to Tonga for the reunion at the suggestion of HRH Crown Prince Tupouto...a, and have attended the feasts and celebrations of the King's 87th birthday during the long weekend.
The ceremony last evening was a small closely-knit gathering where some of the visitors spoke and reminisced over bygone days. A birthday cake was also in place with everyone singing Happy Birthday to His Majesty.
The group included some retired supreme court judges, and successful lawyers like Hon. Jack Lee AO QC, Hon. Mr Lloyd Sommerlad, Mr. Robert Minter, and Mr Chester Porter QC, as well as Tonga's Honorary Consul in Australia Mr. Bill Waterhouse, to name a few.
The group was to visit Vava...u on Thursday July 7 before returning to Australia on Saturday July 9.