The future Queen Sālote Tupou III of Tonga would not know her mother as she died when Sālote was just two years old.
Lavinia Veiongo Fotu was born on 9 February 1879 as the daughter of ʻAsipeli Kupuavanua Fotu and Tōkanga Fuifuilupe. She was named for her paternal grandmother, Old Lavinia, who was the daughter of the last Tuʻi Tonga (line of Kings) Laufilitonga.
King George Tupou II of Tonga was meant to marry Princess ʻOfakivavaʻu in 1899, and all the preparations had already been made when he changed his mind and chose to marry Lavinia. Both ʻOfakivavaʻu and Lavinia were of aristocratic blood of the Tu’i Tonga, although Lavinia was only descended from that line through her father. Her maternal line could not be traced further back than two generations. This choice went against the nobles who initially voted overwhelmingly in favour of ʻOfakivavaʻu. George’s continued insistence on Lavinia eventually led to them caving.
On 1 June 1899, the European-style celebration of the wedding took place. George wore a blue uniform laced with gold and medals. He also wore a crimson mantle. Lavinia wore a wedding gown of satin, a veil and orange blossoms, and she was accompanied by six bridesmaids who also wore satin. After a choir had sung the wedding anthem, George placed a diadem on Lavinia’s head and declared her Queen of Tonga.1
A few days later, the Tongan wedding ceremony (tu’uvala) was held. This included exchanges of property between the chiefly families who were part of the alliance. The family of ʻOfakivavaʻu was not present for either wedding ceremony, and the animosity would remain for many years to come. In the weeks after the wedding, it was rumoured that Lavinia had not left the palace since her wedding day in fear of her safety.2 Songs were a traditional form of protest. In August 1899, the press reported, ” Scurrilous songs reflecting on Her Majesty are of almost daily publication. The average Tongan is actually a poet, and his genius displays itself nowhere more acutely than in the composition of insulting songs. These are sung by almost everybody and care is especially taken that copies shall reach the Palace by secret means to the annoyance of their Majesties.”3
Lavinia quickly fell pregnant, and her first, and as it would turn out only, child was born on 13 March 1900. Sālote’s birth was announced with a 13-gun salute. She was baptised on 10 June in the Royal Chapel as Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu.
Sir Basil Thomson, a colonial administrator, later wrote, “I was taken upstairs to see Queen Lavinia and the infant Princess. In a clean and well-furnished modern bedroom, I found Her Majesty, Kubu’s daughter, dressed in a loose European wrapper. A girl brought in the baby princess – a big, brown infant three weeks old. She slept peacefully throughout the interview and throughout the kiss I imprinted upon the royal forehead, which salute seemed to please the royal parents very much. She was the first princess, and the last, that I have ever kissed.”4
ʻOfakivavaʻu herself had no part in the animosity against the King and Queen. She even danced at the celebrations for George’s 27th birthday in 1901. However, when she contracted tuberculosis and died in December 1901, it was claimed that she died from the distress of the King’s rejection. Lavinia had visited ʻOfakivavaʻu during her illness and also attended her funeral. She may have caught the tuberculosis that would also kill her from ʻOfakivavaʻu but she had been in delicate health since her daughter’s birth.
Queen Lavinia died on 24 April 1902 at the palace. George was deeply affected by her death, and he honoured her with an immense funeral. She lay in state for four days and was buried at the royal cemetery of Mala’e Kula.
The Sydney Morning Herald wrote of Lavinia, “The late queen was the embodiment of good nature and persons of all ranks were assured of a kind and courteous reception at her hands. She even caused Tupou to be a little more attentive to his duties in the matter of the reception of higher chiefs who, in the King’s absence, she would in no wise permit to depart before interviewing Tupou for whom she would send if necessary.”5
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