HM King George Tupou V will return to Tonga on Saturday, September 10 after undergoing surgery to remove his right kidney at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles in the United States.

David Dunkley, Private Secretary to the King, in a statement today, September 8, said the King "underwent successful surgery to remove his right kidney, which was found to contain a significant tumour."

"The king has made a good recovery following that procedure and will return to Los Angeles in a few weeks time for follow up consultations," the private secretary stated.

It is understood that the king underwent surgery in August and was recently discharged from hospital.

David Dunkley told Matangi Tonga Online this afternoon that the King was due to depart Honolulu tonight and they would be arriving in Auckland very early tomorrow morning (Friday).

He hoped it might be possible to arrange an Audience for the Tongan team but said that His Majesty would not attend the opening match of the RWC because of the 1:00am flight departure time for Tonga on Saturday.

"His Majesty . . . will need to rest before the flight," he said.

Prince Regent

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Tupouto'a-Lavaka who became Prince Regent effective on his arrival in Tonga on August 25, remains in Tonga.

The Crown Prince is Tonga's first and current High Commissioner to Australia based in Canberra and is expected to return to Australia next week.