A speech by The Duke of Sussex at a Formal Banquet hosted by His Majesty King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u
Published
Coming to Tonga I feel very much as though I am coming to visit an extended family.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, distinguished guests. Mālō e lelei.
My wife and I are incredibly honoured to be your guests at this very special occasion in such a magical setting.
Coming to Tonga I feel very much as though I am coming to visit an extended family.
My grandparents have visited a number of times and Your Majesties have been frequent visitors to see my family over the years. We have a strong bond as members of the Commonwealth; we share so much history - and common values.
Tongan soldiers served with our allies during the First and Second World Wars and later independently to offer support in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tongan hospitality is world renowned; your islands are stunningly beautiful offering tourists rugged coastlines, humpback whales and coral reefs.
Tonga's sporting prowess is legendary; you are formidable on the rugby pitch , and you were the first Pacific island nation to win a medal at the Olympics! Is there no end to your talents?
Tongan artists such as Uili Lousi are winning international awards and your magnificent artefacts were a highlight at the recent Oceania exhibition in London, which my wife enjoyed very much when she opened it.
For a small population you have a very large presence on the world stage - a product of your talent and drive. We are both so looking forward to meeting many of you tomorrow- learning more about your culture and development as a strong and independent country.
We are excited to visit Tonga’s dedication to The Queen's Commonwealth canopy; and are thankful for this country’s wider commitment to the environment by safeguarding the oceans and tackling climate change.
We are also pleased that our visit comes at a time when the British Government is reopening its High Commission here, which will lead to far more opportunities for collaboration between our two countries in the future.
We are deeply grateful to you all for welcoming Meghan and me to Tongatapu and to Your Majesties for making us feel at home here.
I would like to end by reading a special message from my grandmother The Queen
Your Majesties, it gives me great pleasure that my grandson and his wife are visiting The Kingdom of Tonga. Our two families have enjoyed a deep and warm friendship over many years, and I hope that our close relationship continues with the next generation.
To this day, I remember with fondness Queen Salote's attendance at my own Coronation, while Prince Philip and I have cherished memories from our three wonderful visits to your country in 1953, 1970 and 1977.
In the months and years ahead, I wish Your Majesties and the people of Tonga every good fortune and happiness.
Mālō ‘aupito.
Related content
Message to the people of Northern Ireland
Across generations, the people of Northern Ireland are choosing to build an inclusive, prosperous, and hopeful society, strengthened by the gains of the peace process.
A message from The Earl of Wessex on the legacy of his father, The Duke of Edinburgh.
I, like all my family, have a lifetime of lasting impressions.
A speech by The Duke of Edinburgh on ‘Inter-face / User and Machine' at the RSA Conference, 6 November 2002
I think it is pretty well known that I have always been a great supporter of science and engineering and I have considerable respect for the technologies, which they have...
A message from The Duke of Cambridge following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh
My grandfather’s century of life was defined by service – to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family.
A statement from The Princess Royal following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh
It is his example of a life well lived and service freely given that I most wanted to emulate.
A message from Her Majesty The Queen to mark Greece's Bicentenary Independence Day celebrations
On the significant occasion of the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, I would like to convey to Your Excellency my congratulations, together...
Trooping the Colour will not go ahead in its traditional form in 2021
A message of condolence from Her Majesty The Queen to the people of Tanzania
Prince Philip and I were saddened to learn of the death of President John Magufuli. I wish to convey my condolences to his loved ones and my deepest sympathy to the people of...
A message from Her Majesty The Queen to the President of Ireland, His Excellency Michael D Higgins
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go léir
The Royal Family and Space
The Queen's Commonwealth Day Message 2021
Stirring examples of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty have been demonstrated in every Commonwealth nation and territory.
The tenth anniversary of the Christchurch earthquakes
While there are many sad memories of that terrible time, there is also solace in remembering how your community rose to the challenge of rebuilding your lives and supporting...
Buckingham Palace statement on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
The Duchess of Cambridge marks 5th anniversary of London Baby Bank Little Village
Announcement of the birth of Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank’s first baby
A speech by The Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal Foundation's Forum on the Early Years
The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken of her ambition to put the Early Years on an equal footing with the other great social challenges and opportunities of our time during an...
The Christmas Broadcast 2020
Remarkably, a year that has necessarily kept people apart has, in many ways, brought us closer. Across the Commonwealth, my family and I have been inspired by stories of...