Hon. Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tuku’aho (49) was bestowed with the hereditary title Tu’ipelehake at the Royal Palace, Nuku’alofa, this afternoon.
Hon. Mailefihi succeeds his older brother the late Prince Tu’ipelehake as the seventh Tu’ipelehake, effective from July 21 2006. The ceremony was conducted by Hon. Tu’ivanuavou Vaea who read out a letter of assent from King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. He inherits the Tu’ipelehake estates of Pelehake and ‘Alaki in Tongatapu, Vaihoi in Vava’u, Lotofoa and Fotua in Ha’apai.
Present at the ceremony were Tu'ipelehake's sisters Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, Princess Sinaitakala ‘Ofeina ‘e he Langi Fakafanua, and his nephews the nobles Vaha’i, Fakafanua, Kalaniuvalu and Fotofili.
The new Noble Tu’ipelehake, the youngest son of the King's brother, was born on June 17, 1957, as HRH Prince Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tuku’aho.
He married firstly Mele Vikatolia Faletau, where his title Prince was taken from him because he married a commoner. He has two children, the Hon. Taone Tuku'aho Ramanlal and Hon. Sione Ngu Tuku'aho and has one grandchild.
He is now married to Hon. 'Ene'io Tatafu of ‘Alaki.
His brother, the 6th Tu'ipelehake, died in a tragic car accident with his wife the late Princess Kaimana Tuku’aho in July in California, USA.
