King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u were welcomed in Brisbane by the Queensland Tonga Council, Nofo-'a-kainga, during an overnight stopover on September 11.

Queen Nanasipau'u was presented with a bouquet of flowers by three-year-old Ma'ata Elizabeth Layt when they arrived at the Brisbane Domestic Airport.

Julian Layt reported that the Tongan Brisbane community met the King and Queen and later gathered to hold a prayer service at the Sofitel Hotel in the evening, where Queen Nanasipau'u was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Losaline Molitika, and a prayer service was led by Rev. Sione Maile Molitika, the president of the Nofo-'a-kainga.

King Tupou VI, the Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific was on his way to Honiara to officiate a graduation ceremony to be held at the USP Center, Honiara last week.