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Home > Takipō vigil at Royal Palace tonight

Takipō vigil at Royal Palace tonight [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 - 20:06.  Updated on Friday, March 3, 2017 - 10:28.

Photos by Linny Folau and Peter Poulsen

Pallbearers from HMAF approach the entrance to the Royal Palace, as the Queen Mother's funeral cortege arrives. Nuku'alofa, 28 February 2017.

By Linny Folau

Luckily, the rain held off as the Royal cortege arrived in Nuku'alofa and made its way to the Royal Palace, where HM the late Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho lies tonight. Photos by Linny Folau and Peter Poulsen.

The capital was strangely quiet this afternoon even though thousands of students sat for hours in respect on the side of Taufa'ahau Road leading right up to the Royal Palace. Queen Salote College students sat lining the driveway on Pangai Lahi next to the Palace.

Vigil

The takipō, royal vigil has now begun at the Royal Palace grounds where ongoing prayer services are being carried out throughout the night until early tomorrow morning Wednesday, March 1.

The first prayer service was held this afternoon by the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga led by President Rev Dr 'Ahio, after the royal casket was conveyed to Royal Palace. Other churches will follow and carry out prayer services at different times tonight.

It is expected that the final respects will be paid to the late Queen Mother after the vigil and before the royal casket is conveyed on a catafalque to carried by more than 100 men along Hala Tu'i to the Royal Tombs, Mala'e Kula starting at 9:30am.

It is a special public holiday in Tonga tomorrow for the royal funeral.

Pallbearers carry the Queen Mother's casket into the Royal Palace where she lies tonight. 28 February 2017.
Mourners under the Kasia tree, Taufa'ahau Road, Nuku'alofa. 28 February 2017.
Tonga [2]
Queen Mother [3]
Halaevalu Mata'aho [4]
Tonga Royal Family [5]
Royal Palace [6]
Royalty & Nobility [7]

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Source URL:https://matangitonga.to/2017/02/28/takipo-vigil-royal-palace-tonight?page=0

Links
[1] https://matangitonga.to/2017/02/28/takipo-vigil-royal-palace-tonight [2] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga?page=1 [3] https://matangitonga.to/tag/queen-mother?page=1 [4] https://matangitonga.to/tag/halaevalu-mataaho?page=1 [5] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga-royal-family?page=1 [6] https://matangitonga.to/tag/royal-palace?page=1 [7] https://matangitonga.to/topic/royalty-nobility-0?page=1