Halaevalu Mata'aho 'Ahome'e

Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe
Queen Mother of Tonga
Reign 16 December 1965 – 10 September 2006
Spouse Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
Issue George Tupou V
Tupou VI
Sālote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita
Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho
Father Ahomeʻe (Manu-ʻo-pangai)
Mother Heuʻifanga
Born 29 May 1926
Tonga
Religion Methodism
Royal Family of Tonga

HM The King
HM The Queen

HM The Queen Mother

Monarchical styles of
Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho 'Ahome'e of Tonga
Reference style Her Majesty
Spoken style Your Majesty
Alternative style Madame

Halaevalu Mata'aho (born 29 May 1926)[1] is the mother of the deceased King George Tupou V and the reigning King Tupou VI of Tonga, as well as the widow of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who died in 2006.[2]

Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe was born on 29 May 1926,[3] the oldest daughter of ‘Ahome’e (Manu-‘o-pangai) and his wife, Heuʻifanga, a great granddaughter of the last King of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire.[1][4][5] The Queen Mother is a descendent of Ma'afu.[5] Halaevalu Mata'aho married her husband, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, on June 10, 1947.[5] Taufa'ahau Tupou IV died in 2006.

The Queen Mother celebrated her 85th birthday in 2011 with a five day celebration held in May.[4] The celebrations began with a Garden Party for more than one hundred Tongan women held at the home of the President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Rev. Dr. ‘Ahio.[4] The Queen Mother attended a Catholic mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Ma'ufanga with King Siaosi Tupou V on May 26, 2011.[4] The Tongan Ministry of Education, Women Affairs and Culture held a student celebration for her birthday on May 27, with of primary school students from Pangai Lahi to Teufaiva Park, including presenting the Queen Mother with birthday gifts.[4] A private party was held in Ha'avakatolo the next day, followed by a church service held at Centennial Church on Sunday, May 29, with a royal luncheon at the Royal Palace in Nukuʻalofa.[4]

The Queen Mother embarked on a two week trip to the U.S. state of Utah in July and August 2011.[6] Specifically, the Queen Mother came to visit the Tongan United Methodist Church in West Valley City, Utah, whose congregation had raised approximately $500,000 in less than a year to pay off the mortgage on the building.[6]

The Mayor of West Valley City, Michael K. Winder, awarded the Queen Mother the key to the city on July 27, 2011.[6] She met with Utah Governor Gary Herbert the next day.[6]

Patronages

Honours

Orders [7]

Medals [8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "A week of celebration underway for the Queen's 85th Birthday". Ministry of Information and Communications. 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  2. ↑ Reigning Royal Families: Tonga International Who's Who, retrieved 6 January 2011
  3. ↑ Royal Ark
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Queen Mother celebrates 85th birthday". Taimi Media Network. 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "The Royal Family". Tongan Royal Family. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Farmer, Molly (2011-07-30). "Queen Mother of Tonga celebrates with West Valley congregation". Deseret News. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  7. ↑ Royal Ark
  8. ↑ Royal Ark