Tonga: The king of Tonga in the South Pacific, Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, has died in a New Zealand hospital aged 88, and has been succeeded by his eldest son.
The monarch died late on Sunday night surrounded by members of the royal family after a long period of ill health. Buildings in the capital, Nukua'alofa, were draped in black and purple, traditional colours of mourning.
The prince regent, 57-year-old Crown Prince Tupouto'a, was sworn in as the new king, Tupou V, yesterday.
King Tupou IV had been in New Zealand for medical treatment since April, briefly returning to Tonga for his 88th birthday on July 4th.
The royal palace said the late king would lie in state in Auckland today, before being flown back by a New Zealand Airforce plane tomorrow. A royal funeral would be held on September 19th, with a month of official mourning.
Tonga is the South Pacific's last monarchy, where the royal family controls a semi-feudal political system.
King Tupou IV had ruled the small nation of around 105,000 people, dubbed the "friendly islands" by British explorer James Cook, since 1965.
He made international headlines in 1976 when he became the world's heaviest monarch, tipping the Tonga airport scales at 209kg (462lbs). - (Reuters)