Abigail died peacefully at her home in Honolulu on 11 December 2022 with her wife by her side. She was known for her support of the traditional Hawaiian culture.
“Abigail will be remembered for her love of Hawaii and its people,” said her wife, Veronica Gail Kawānanakoa. “I will miss her with all of my heart.”
No cause of death has yet been given.
Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawānanakoa was born on 23 April 1926 as the daughter of Lydia Liliuokalani Kawānanakoa and William Jeremiah Ellerbrock. Her mother was the daughter of Prince David Kawānanakoa and Princess Abigail Campbell Kawānanakoa. She was the great-grandniece of the last Queen of Hawaii, Queen Liliʻuokalani, and as such, many considered her a possible heiress should the monarchy be reinstated. The monarchy was overthrown in 1893 and was officially abolished two years later.
Thus, when Abigail was born, the monarchy was already a thing of the past. When Abigail was just six years old, she was officially adopted by her grandmother Princess Abigail Campbell Kawānanakoa so that she would be prioritised as a royal heir and as an heiress to the Campbell estates.1
Abigail would remain her parents’ only child and after they were divorced, her mother would go on to marry three more times. Her father does not appear to have remarried.
Abigail received her education from the Punahou School in Honolulu, the Shanghai American School in Shanghai from 1938 to 1939, and Notre Dame High School in California, from which she graduated in 1943. She then attended the Dominican College in California from 1943 to 1944 and studied at the University of Hawaii in 1945. Her grandmother passed away on 12 April 1945.
Abigail was known to be an expert horsewoman and breeder. She was awarded an honorary degree from the Colorado State University in 2016 for her support of the equine medicine program. She has also been active in preserving Hawaiian culture, including the restoration of the ‘Iolani Palace. As an heiress of the Campbell estate, her wealth was estimated to be at about $250 million.
Abigail married her partner Veronica Gail Worth – who is almost 30 years younger than her – on 1 October 2017. They had reportedly been partners for over 20 years.
Be the first to comment