Prince Tu'ipelehake returns to the Tonga Legislative Assembly after winning the Tongatapu no. 1 Nobles Representative seat in this week's nobles by-election.

The election supervisor, Pita Vuki, said that 15 nobles cast their votes at the Palace Office on the morning of July 14, while votes were faxed in by five nobles who were away on the parliament's national tour.

Prince Tu'ipelehake won the election with seven votes, followed by the new Noble Vaha'i with six votes, and Noble Fakafanua with only one vote.

Prince Tu'ipelehake was previously a Noble's Representative for Ha'apai but lost his seat in the March general election when he moved to the Tongatapu electorate where he was unsuccessful against the re-elected incumbents.

The July by-election followed the death of the Noble Vaha'i in May.