New Order for Tonga

[James Hoard]

As part of the celebrations for the King's Coronation, a new order was founded by King George Tupou V on 31st July 2008.

The Most Illustrious Order of Queen Salote Tupou III has four classes - Knight Grand Cross, Grand Cross, Commander and Member. The Grand Master is the King's cousin, HRH Princess Mele Siu?ilikutapu. The breast star is a little like the Grand Cross breast star of the British Royal Victorian Order - eight pointed star, each point arm of equal length, with a white enamelled Maltese cross, red enamelled centre and gold raised band surround. The badge is a gold Maltese cross enamelled in bright blue with white edges, a device in the centre and a gold crown atop the high arm of the cross attached to a suspension loop. The ribbon is light blue, similar to the Swedish Seraphim, and the Grand Cross sash worn over the right shoulder.

In keeping with the King's more democratic aspirations, a number of awards were made to Tongan citizens on the eve of the Coronation. Although Tonga has had several other orders for very many years, until now their distribution amongst citizens has been extremely limited. Generally orders were limited to very senior royals and perhaps a minister or two in a generation. Medals were instituted during the reign of the late King and were more widely distributed. The situation in Tonga regarding awards has, until now, been similar to Sweden since the 1970's.

http://www.pmo.gov.to/index.php?option=com...6&Itemid=29

James Hoard

[Ed_Haynes]

Interesting. Thanks, James!

[James Hoard]

Interesting. Thanks, James!

My please.

Slightly more detail as follows:

The insignia of a Knight Grand Cross or first class is a collar and breast star. The collar badge is similar to the device on the star.

The insignia of a Grand Cross of second class is an eight-pointed faceted silver star, all four poins of equal length and size. Superimposed on the star is a large silver badge enamelled in deep blue with white enamelled edges. The centre of the badge appears to have a bust of Queen Salote on a circular disk, either enamelled in red or gold on a red enamelled field. The badge is similar to the badge on the breast star, and is worn suspended from a sky blue ribbon worn over the right shoulder.

The third class or Commander insignia is a blue and white enamelled badge similar to the Grand Cross, but smaller, and worn around the neck from a sky blue neck ribbon.

The fourth class or Member wears a badge similar to Commander, but smaller, worn from a medal ribbon on the left chest.

A commemorative Coronation Medal was also instituted on the same day, 31st July 2008.

Christopher Buyers has a little more and a small picture of the new order at the Royal Ark website:

http://www.royalark.net/Tonga/tongders.htm

Cheers,

James

[hmfgreifswald]

New on gov website

[James Hoard]

Although that picture may be new on the website, it actually dates from the time the present King was still Crown Prince. Consequently, he is wearing the sash and breast star of the most junior of the Tongan orders, the Order of King George Tupou I (he then only had the second class of the other orders). I gather that the order is more or less in the lapsed category. No awards were made in the recent Coronation list and no awards have been made at all since 1969.

[922F]

Thank you for this fascinating information!!

[Ed_Haynes]

As he seems to be wearing a mourning armband, might we date this photo from shortly after his father's death (11 September 2006)?

[James Hoard]

As he seems to be wearing a mourning armband, might we date this photo from shortly after his father's death (11 September 2006)?

He could be wearing the arm band for Prince Fatafehi Tu'i Pelehake, killed in a tragic road accident with his wife in California, 5th July 2006.

While the King does continue to wear the order, he tends to wear it together with some of the others.

King George Tupou V wearing the most senior order, the Order of Pouono breast star, collar (chain) and sash.

[Mike Smith]

I located this image of the King from about Coronation time. Note he is now sporting the medal of the French legion of Honour

[James Hoard]

I located this image of the King from about Coronation time. Note he is now sporting the medal of the French legion of Honour

Mike,

It isn't actually a recent award. He was made a Chevalier at the time he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the late 1980's or 1990's. He has only begun to wear it regularly recently. His father, the late King was a little peeved at the whole thing. First, because the class of the award was so low and second, because protocol dicated tha he should have received an order before his son. Eventually the father's vanity was soothed when he received the Grand Croix of the new Order of Tahiti Nui from French Polynesia, soon after it was established, in 1997.

Cheers,

James

[Mike Smith]

Thank you for that as I hadn't seen him wearing it at all before

[James Hoard]

Thank you for that as I hadn't seen him wearing it at all before

Here's an old picture of him wearing the decoration shortly after receiving it:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancest...x/crprtonga.jpg

[922F]

The Legion of Honor loks to be an officer's badge, note ribbon rosette. Still, the entry level French award for most Foreign Ministers, regardless of county smallness, is commander of Order of National Merit or LoH cmdr. Years ago, each of the 5 members of the ruling junta of some South American country got LoH Grand Officers. They were happy until they learned that other "leaders" got GCs during that tour. Since only 1 GC was "available" for each country, French newspapers asked whether the junta members preferred one GC tied around the 5 of them so they would look like a bunch of radishes.

[James Hoard]

The Legion of Honor loks to be an officer's badge, note ribbon rosette.

Right you are indeed.

Thanks for noticing.

Cheers,

James

[Megan]

I have just heard about a recent Tongan medal. Apparently 45 soldiers were sent to the Gulf in support of American forces, and have been awarded the Campaign Medal:

[Ed_Haynes]

Fascinating, Megan. Thanks!

[James Hoard]

I have just heard about a recent Tongan medal. Apparently 45 soldiers were sent to the Gulf in support of American forces, and have been awarded the Campaign Medal:

Very interesting to see this award, but one presumes that it is a campaign medal specifically for Iraq.

Until now, the Tongan Defence Services GSM has usually been awarded with a bar. At leas that was the case for previous campaigns, such as Bougainville.

Tongan soldiers have been serving in Iraq for quie some time. Recently the third contingent of 55 soldiers returned from their tour and have been replaced by the fourth contingent.

Cheers,

James

[Mike Smith]

I note that the ribbon on this Campaign Medal is almost the same as the US GWOT Expeditionary Medal. Interesting

[James Hoard]

King George Tupou V established another new order in Tonga during 2008.

It is a Royal Family Order, very similar to those of that name in the UK and other European realms, conferred almost exclusively on female members of the Tongan Royal Family. The insignia consist of an oval miniature portrait of the king in white tropical naval uniform, without cap, wearing orders and medals, against a background of green palms and open sky. The miniature is surrounded by a border of cut-diamonds, with a silver and enamel crown and suspension device at the top. The badge is worn from a bow of mint-green watered silk on the left shoulder.

Cheers

James

[taras]

King George Tupou V established another new order in Tonga during 2008.

It is a Royal Family Order, very similar to those of that name in the UK and other European realms, conferred almost exclusively on female members of the Tongan Royal Family. The insignia consist of an oval miniature portrait of the king in white tropical naval uniform, without cap, wearing orders and medals, against a background of green palms and open sky. The miniature is surrounded by a border of cut-diamonds, with a silver and enamel crown and suspension device at the top. The badge is worn from a bow of mint-green watered silk on the left shoulder.

Cheers

James

Hi,

both images and information about new Tongan orders are on the brilliant site of Christopher Buyers:

www.royalark.net/Tonga/

[JDM]

The Kingdom of Tonga now has 31 Post-Nominal (or Abrievated) Letters to its 8 Orders & 7 Medals, plus 3 titles

K.C. (King's Counsel of Tonga), P.C. (Member of the Privy Council of Tonga) & S.C. (Member of the Supreme Court of Tonga).

These are in ranking order (this order seems to change from time to time):

K.G.C.P., K.G.C.G.T., K.G.C.Q.S., K.G.C.C.T., G.C.Q.S., G.C.C.T., G.C.St.G., G.C.O.P., R.F.O., G.C.R.H., K.C.G.T., G.O.St.G.,

G.O.R.H., C.G.T., C.Q.S., C.C.T., C.St.G., C.R.H., O.St.G., O.R.H., M.Q.S., M.C.T., M.St.G., M.R.H., T.C.M., M.M.St.G.,

T.M.M., M.H.S., S.C.M., G.S., R.H.M.

The Orders (names in Tongan & English):

1. Ko e Fakalangilangi 'o Pouono (K.G.C.P.)

The Royal Order of Pouono (Inst. about 1893, in a single class)

2. Ko e Fakalangilangi 'o Ma'olunga 'o Kuini Salote Tupou III (K.G.Q.S., G.C.Q.S., C.Q.S., M.Q.S.)

The Most Illustrious Order of Queen Salote Tupou III (Inst. 28th June 2008, in 4 classes)

3. Ko e Fakalangilangi 'o Kalauni 'o Tonga (K.G.C.C.T., G.C.C.T., C.C.T., M.C.T.)

The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga (Inst. 6th April 1913, re-organised 31st July 2008 in 4 classes)

4. Ko e Fakalangilangi Fakakaukau 'o Sa Sia'osi (G.C.St.G., G.O.St.G., C.St.G., O.St.G., M.St.G.)

The Royal Military Order of St. George (Inst. 2009 in 5 classes & 3 Associated Medals)

5. Ko e Fakalangilangi Fale 'Alo 'o Kingi Sia'osi Tupou V (R.F.O.)

The King George Tupou V Royal Family Order (for Royal Ladies) (Inst. 2008 in a single class)

6. Ko e Fakalangilangi Fale 'Alo (G.C.R.H., G.O.R.H., C.R.H., O.R.H., M.R.H., R.H.M.)

The Royal Household Order (Inst. 2009 in 6 classes & 3 Associated Medals)

7. Ko e Fakalangilangi 'o e Finiki (G.C.O.P.)

The Royal Order of the Phoenix (Inst. 2010 in a single class)

8. Ko e Fakalangilangi 'o Kingi Sia'osi Tupou I (K.G.C.G.T., K.C.G.T., C.G.T.)

The Royal Order of King George Tupou I (Inst. between 1875 & 1890 in 3 classes)

JDM

[JDM]

I have just found out that the Royal Household Order should now be called:

The Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga.

Also, on 18th March, 2012, H.M. King George Tupou V, died, he was succeeded

by his younger brother, H.M. King Tupou VI (he will anounce his reigning name

before his coronation).

JDM

[JDM]

Tonga update:

The Royal Household Order now known as:

The Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga, Inst. 2009

in 5 classes (GC, GO, Comdr., Officer, Member, plus 3 Assoc. Medals in gold, silver & copper).

Since H.M. King Tupou VI came to power, he has not been seen in a military uniform, this is unique, as all the other kings of Tonga wore military uniforms.

There is still no word as to when his coronation will take place.

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II has been seen (in a colour photo) wearing the Most Illustrated Order of Queen Salote Tupou III, (presented by the late King George Tupou V).

JDM

[heusy68]

Hello JDM, we would like to see this picture of HM Queen Elisabeth II wearing this Order.

Emmanuel

Tonga update:

The Royal Household Order now known as:

The Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga, Inst. 2009

in 5 classes (GC, GO, Comdr., Officer, Member, plus 3 Assoc. Medals in gold, silver & copper).

Since H.M. King Tupou VI came to power, he has not been seen in a military uniform, this is unique, as all the other kings of Tonga wore military uniforms.

There is still no word as to when his coronation will take place.

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II has been seen (in a colour photo) wearing the Most Illustrated Order of Queen Salote Tupou III, (presented by the late King George Tupou V).

JDM

[James Hoard]

Hello JDM, we would like to see this picture of HM Queen Elisabeth II wearing this Order.

Emmanuel

I think I remember seeing the original on the Prime Minister's website, but can now only find the Jubilee stamps. Not very clear, alas.

http://commonwealthstampsopinion.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/tonga-commemorates-diamond-jubilee.html

Cheers