Tonga's diplomatic missions in London and New York last week forwarded books of Condolences signed by diplomats, friends and relatives of the late Prince Tu'ipelehake and the late Princess Kaimana.

Sela Moengangongo from the Tongan High Commission in London, said that following the announcement of the death of Prince Tu'ipelehake and Princess Kaimana, they had received a letter of condolence from HM Queen Elizabeth II to HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

She said that the Tongan High Commission informed diplomatic and the Tongan communities in the United Kingdom and in Europe of the sad news and a book of condolence was opened at the mission for sympathisers to sign.

Signatories on the London book of condolence included the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat Rt Hon. Don McKinnon; the Director of Asia and the Pacific Department of the UK Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Sebastian Wood; the resident Pacific Heads of Missions (New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji); the last British High Commissioner to Tonga, Mr Paul Nessling; and the New Zealand Governor-General designate, HE Judge Satyanand. The members of the Tongan community in the UK who signed the book included, Taniela Takafua, Diane Martin, Tu'ifua Veikune Barker, Luseane 'Ofa Kupu Chesham, Elenoa Taufa Lyons and 'Oto'ota Tu'ifua.

There were 57 signatures on the book of condolence from the office of the Tongan Embassy in New York. Signatories included diplomatic representatives from Fiji, Tuvalu, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Israel, Swaziland, Samoa, Malaysia, Morocco, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina and the Maldives. Tongans residing in New York who also signed the book, included Salesi Katoanga, Mahe'uli'uli Tupouniua, Monalisa Palu and Taniela 'Otukolo.