"The judge flat-out said through his ruling that the time she's already done doesn't adequately resolve the case," prosecutor Aaron Fitzgerald said. The three were wearing seat belts, the CHP said. He has covered two San Francisco mayors, city and statewide political campaigns, and the intersection of professional sports and public policy. All rights reserved. 2 Tongan royal family members killed in California car crash, authorities say. [2], King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipauu were crowned in a ceremony conducted at Centenary Church in Nukualofa on 4 July 2015 by the Reverend D'Arcy Wood, a retired Uniting Church in Australia minister who was born in Tonga. I hope they convict her ass of reckless homicide and send her ass to Soledad for life. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City, allegedly was racing her car at speeds up to 100 mph on a highway in Menlo Park when she tried to pass the SUV the royal couple was traveling in, said highway patrol Officer Ricky Franklin. He served as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and . 2023 BBC. Luisa Leveni, an official at the Tongan Consulate in San Francisco, said her government understands the judge's decision. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The community has been troubled by issues of youth delinquency and low educational achievement. var obConfig = { footer: '' }; Bookmarks are saved to your account and can be accessed from any device. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Two royal family members from the South Pacific island nation of Tonga were killed when a teenager racing her car crashed into their sport utility vehicle, authorities said Thursday. Tupou VI (Tongan: 'Aho'eitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho; born 12 July 1959) is the King of Tonga.He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V.He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his brother (a bachelor) had no legitimate children. Tu'ipelehake, a nephew of 88-year-old King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, was the leading reformist in the royal family. Delgado has already served about a year in jail as she awaited trial and is now free on bail. (AP Photo/Jakub Mosur), THREEDEAD_042_RAD.jpg [6] He then attended the University of East Anglia, where he read Development Studies, from 1977 to 1980. His voice well never hear again, but his legacy is going to live on, Uhilamoelangi said. (Katy Raddatz/The S.F.Chronicle) Mahu'inga said he learned of the victims' identities from a member of the royal family. **FILE**Tongan Prince Tu'ipelehake, top, and his wife, Princess Kaimana, lower, in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, are shown in this July 4, 2006, file photo. The prince's two sons, Osaiasi Tu'ipulotu, 34, and Vakafuhu Tu'ifua, 12, say they have forgiven Delgado and place the majority of the blame for their father's death on Ford Motor Co., maker of the Explorer, said Richard Alexander, an attorney representing the sons in a lawsuit against the automaker. In 2008 Ahoeitu was appointed Tonga's first High Commissioner to Australia, a post he held until his succession to the Tongan throne in 2012. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Marshals investigating; West Valley kids take Dr. Seuss from the page to the stage with 'Seussical' Two Grandview children killed in suspected drunk driving crash near Sunnyside Marshals investigating; Two Grandview children killed in suspected drunk driving crash near Sunnyside REDWOOD CITY, Calif. An 18-year-old charged with killing two members of the Tongan royal family and their driver in a high-speed crash pleaded not guilty yesterday to vehicular manslaughter. Two members of Tonga's royal family have been killed in a car crash during a visit to the United States. Her lawyer maintained there was no race - the Escalade was never found - and that Delgado had been going slower than 80. Hefa's aunt, Tina Penisoni, said her niece was driving the royal couple and had been their secretary before moving to the United States to work as a nanny for a Palo Alto couple. He had close ties with Tonga's King Tupou, who died in 2006. The United Nations had earlier reported a distress signal was detected in Ha'apai, where Mango is located. PHOTO CREDS TO THE RIGHT OWNER #LongLiveHMKingTupouVI. Prosecutor Aaron Fitzgerald, who had sought a 30-month sentence, said he agreed with the judges decision. Police said Edith Delgado, 18, was racing her car on the highway when she tried to overtake the sports utility vehicle carrying the royal couple. Instead, dozens of Tongans flocked to the church to mourn the unexpected deaths and honor a prince viewed as a political reformer in Tonga's constitutional monarchy. "And so our family suffers, our country suffers, because we lost a great prince. According to the 2000 census, there were 8,153 Tongans in the Bay Area, with 4,549 living in San Mateo County. Many wore ta'ovala -- a Tongan skirtlike garment made of woven pandanus leaves worn as a symbol of respect -- over black clothes. Reports that a Tongan prince -- and champion of reform -- was killed in a car accident in Menlo Park Wednesday night has the small island nation in mourning. An hour later, 2 kids were killed in a wrong-way crash near Sunnyside; West Valley kids take Dr. Seuss from the page to the stage with 'Seussical' One person shot in Wapato, U.S. Before joining The Chronicle, he worked at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Modesto Bee, where he covered the Scott Peterson case. A 27-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Polikalepo Kefu, 41. Tonga's royal family has denied allegations they were involved in covering up the murder of an Australian horse trainer. (AP Photo/VAPRESS@MATANGITONGA.TO, Linny Folau). He's written extensively about San Francisco hosting the America's Cup, the city losing its professional football team to a new stadium in Santa Clara, and efforts to build a new arena in San Francisco for the Golden State Warriors. WASHINGTON (AP) Facing the possibility that the Supreme Court will reject President Joe Biden's plan for student loan forgiveness, the White House is aiming . But the Tongans who have become so intertwined with life in Euless. She left the newsroom in 2015. Two members of Tonga's royal family have been killed in a car crash during a visit to the United States. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. It added that the allegations were a result of a "sad, long-running and bitter family dispute". We accept death, Ahio said, but at the same time the way death came to the royal family, it is very sad to us.. Posts Tagged. The prince is the nephew of ailing King Taufaahau Tupou IV, who has been honored at Ahios church in the past during regular visits to Stanford Medical Center. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Tongan royal family killed in car crash Teen Charged in Wreck That Killed Tongan Royals: REDWOOD CITY, California A teenage driver charged with killing two members of the Tongan royal family and their driver after slamming into their car pleaded not guilty Friday to vehicular manslaughter. The crown was then placed on his head by Wood, who performed the anointing and crowning as a matter of circumventing the taboo on native Tongans touching the King's head. Former staff writer Lee Romney covered the Bay Area and Northern California news for the Los Angeles Times from the San Francisco bureau. Identification. Their driver was also killed. She has held the post of High Commissioner of Tonga to Australia since 22 August 2012.[1]. [10] In 2013 he was appointed as Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific. Legal Statement. A Redwood City woman convicted of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the 2006 crash deaths of two Tongan royal family members and their driver woke up in a jail cell Thursday morning.. She was killed in a car accident in San Francisco, California. A Redwood City woman who killed two members of the Tongan royal family and their driver in a freeway crash last year is going back behind bars after she was sentenced Friday to two years in. Tuipelehake, a nephew of 88-year-old King Taufaahau Tupou IV, was the leading reformist in the royal family. She was a member of the Tongan Royal family. "She was a very kind person, very loving," Penisoni said. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Search. "Out of respect for the Tongan culture and Tongan government, we are not going to release the names until the Tongan government has done the proper protocols of notification," Foucrault said. You can post now and register later. Prince Tu'ipelehake, a nephew of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, was the leading reformist in the Tongan royal family. Thousands of Tongans across the Bay Area, which houses one of the largest expatriate populations from the South Pacific island-chain nation, went into mourning at news of the deaths. Swipe is only available in chrome dev tools mobile mode. 17 things to do in Santa Cruz, the old-school beach town that makes for a charming getaway, Fox News finally reveals its kryptonite: the bottom line, This is me, this is my face: Actress Mimi Rogers on aging naturally, without cosmetic surgery, The Week in Photos: California exits pandemic emergency amid a winter landscape, Snowboarder dies at South Lake Tahoe resort, California to alter COVID rules in healthcare settings: Masks and vaccinations not required, Welcome to the world, baby Winter, born amid a snowstorm in Lake Arrowhead. Paste as plain text instead, In January 1994 Juergen and his wife left Tongatapu, relocated to Ha'apai and broke ground on the Sandy Beach location. Edith Delgado received a two-year sentence in a Redwood City, Calif., courtroom, Friday, Aug. 24, 2007, for a freeway crash that killed these two members of Tonga's royal family and their driver. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma), Princess Mele Siuilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, sister of Tonga's Prince Tu'ipelehake, cries during a memorial service for the prince and his wife, Princess Kaimana, at First Tongan United Methodist Church in San Bruno, Calif., on Thursday, July 6, 2006. "(It's) very hard. SHOWN: Relatives of the three members of the Tongan Royal Family who were killed last night comfort each other in the alley behind the First United Methodist Church in San Bruno. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Best coffee city in the world? The two royals were visiting members of the Tongan community in the San Francisco Bay Area to discuss political reforms in the Pacific archipelago. The collision caused the deaths of Tonga's Prince Tu'ipelehake, 54; Princess Kaimana Tu'ipelehake, 45; and Vinisia Hefa, 36, of East Palo Alto, who had been chauffeuring the royals. Drug-related prosecutions in Tonga's supreme court have also risen since 2018, increasing by 206% to 2020. As such he was until his accession to the throne known as Tupoutoa Lavaka. The celebrations ran for a total of eleven days, beginning a week before the ceremony.[18]. [12] He returned to the palace on 17 January. They had attended a similar community forum last year, attended by more than a thousand people. They paid their respects to the prince's sister, Princess Mele Siuilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, who sat in a chair decorated with a huge woven mat. Baby showers are totally common in the United States, where Meghan is from, but they're not a usual part of pregnancy in the UK. The Explorer flipped and rolled over several times, killing Prince Tuipelehake, 55; his wife, Princess Kaimana Aleamotua Tukuaho, 46; and their driver, Vinisia Hefa, 36, of East Palo Alto. Her middle name is her grandmother's name, Her Late Majesty Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho. Upload or insert images from URL. Witnesses said Delgado appeared to be racing a black Cadillac Escalade in her white Ford Mustang at speeds between 85 mph and 100 mph when she tried to pass another vehicle, California Highway Patrol Officer Ricky Franklin said. We're sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. He has covered two San Francisco mayors, city and statewide political campaigns, and the intersection of professional sports and public policy. Princess Ltfuipeka (Angelika Ltfuipeka Halaevalu Mataaho Napua-o-kalani Tukuaho; born 17 November 1983, in Nukualofa) is a Tongan royal and a member of the House of Tupou.Sole daughter of Tupou VI, King of Tonga, Princess Ltfuipeka became the High Commissioner of Tonga to Australia on 22 August 2012, after her father - High Commissioner until then - succeeded as the King . He was head of a national committee studying democratic reforms for the kingdom. The brother had a son, Prince Paras, who by all rumors was not the kind of person you would want to have as the eventual replacement king. Jurors found insufficient proof of racing, Frank Johnson III, the jury foreman, said after the trial. Lapwai and Potlatch will represent the Whitepine League Division I at the Idaho Class 1A Division I state tournament that begins Thursday at Vallivue High School in Caldwell. Prince Tu'ipelehake, 56, Princess Kaimana, 46, and their driver, Vinisia Hefa, 36, were all killed. This is a carousel. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 2 in Tongan Royal Family Killed in Calif. The three victims died when Delgado's Ford Mustang sideswiped the royal couple's Ford Explorer near Marsh Road on Highway 101 in Menlo Park, causing the sport utility vehicle to roll over several times. Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Clear editor. Tonga is the last monarchy in the Pacific and most of its politicians are appointed by the 88-year-old king rather than elected. He has also covered land use, the failed attempt to remove San Francisco's elected sheriff for official misconduct and efforts to revitalize the long-downtroddenMid-Market area. Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City, allegedly was racing her car at speeds up to 100 mph on a highway in Menlo Park, about 25 miles south of San Francisco, when she tried to pass the SUV the royal couple was traveling in, said highway patrol Officer Ricky Franklin. "He was loved by the people of Tonga -- both the prince and the princess were," said Mahu'inga, who heads the local chapter of the Kainga Tonga USA community group. "This is a great loss to the Tongan people.". Edith Delgado was held in lieu of $3 million bail after her arraignment in San Mateo County Superior Court on manslaughter and speeding charges. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant, Coded hidden note led to Italy mafia boss arrest. Copyright Dropzone.com 2021 The name "Tonga" is composed of to (to plant) and nga (a place). This is a carousel. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, It alleged that several Tongans had murdered Mr Brown, and that Mr Waterhouse and the then Tongan King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV helped the killers escape. Runde ultimately went with the middle-ground recommendation of the probation department, saying Delgado has shown contrition and pointing out that she had no previous criminal record. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or Supreme Head, is also the royal with the most military service under his belt. It is ruled by 87-year-old King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Two royal family members from the South Pacific island nation of Tonga were killed when a teenager racing her car crashed into their sport utility vehicle, authorities said Thursday. AS IT SHOULD BE! Fitzgerald argued that Delgado should be sentenced to 21/2 years. Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, a towering figure in the tiny Pacific Island nation for four decades, died in a New Zealand hospital on Sunday night. Oct 12, 2018. Posted: 12:47 PM CDT Friday, Jul. Delgado's car slammed into the driver's side of the Explorer, causing it to swerve across several lanes before tumbling to a stop on its roof, Franklin said. It has a population of 108,000 and its economy is dependent on pumpkin and vanilla exports, fishing, foreign aid and remittances from Tongans living abroad. The funeral for two members of the Tongan royal family killed in a San Francisco car crash last week will be held on Thursday and Friday in Nuku'alofa, The Matangitonga website said the official . Prince Tu'ipelehake had been scheduled to speak to Tongans in San Bruno, California on Thursday before visiting Tongan communities in other parts of the US. Ms Delgado, who was uninjured, has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter and engaging in a speed contest, police said. Heilala Ahio of First Tongan United Methodist Church of Palo Alto. Kalatini Ahio, Heilala Ahios husband, instead became the site of a vigil for stunned community members. Her driver's license had earlier been revoked for three years. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma), Aisea Hefa, brother of Vinisia Hefa, 36, cries during a memorial service for Tonga's Prince Tu'ipelehake and his wife, Princess Kaimana, at First Tongan United Methodist Church in San Bruno, Calif., on Thursday, July 6, 2006. We're working to restore it. PD-Rs, Ravens, Tempos! His elder son, Siaosi, (George) is to be addressed by the prestigious title of Uluklala of Fangatongo, while his second son, Viliami, (William) was bestowed with Ata of Hihifo. The driver of the red Ford Explorer carrying the two also was killed, the California Highway Patrol said. He graduated from the US Naval War College as part of Class 33 in 1988. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "Words cannot express how much of a loss we still feel, even after a year," the princess' cousin, Amelia Tupou Tonga, said at Delgado's sentencing hearing. To avoid German colonization Tonga became a British Protectorate in 1900, the status it held until full independence in 1970. San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault confirmed that two members of Tongas royal family had died in the crash. Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the three were among 10 skiers delivered by . VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. The two were killed in a car crash Wednesday in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Jakub Mosur), Tongans put up a flag as they set up a make-shift memorial Friday, July 7, 2006, at the site of a crash that killed two members Tonga's royal family, Prince Tu'ipelehake, 56, his wife, Princess Kaimana, 46 and their driver, Vinisia Hefa. I dont think it serves anyones interest for this 19-year-old girl to spend more time in jail, he said. "We hope the sentence deters her in the future from engaging in deadly, reckless behavior.". The tsunamis killed at least three people, authorities said. "He pursued this goal with sensitivity and perception, mixed with a strong determination to achieve progress," Mr Peters said. The eldest, Crown Prince Tupouto'a, is an unmarried playboy in his 50s who lives in a grand palace on the outskirts of the capital Nuku'alofa. 1,402 posts. Prince Tuipelehake, 56, and his wife, Princess Kaimana, 45, had arrived in the Bay Area on Tuesday and were scheduled to attend a large community forum Thursday night at a San Bruno church to discuss the needs of Tongans abroad, said the Rev. A retired Australian minister performed the crowning as it is taboo for Tongans to touch their king's head. Nick Eleini told broadcasters the family was "devastated" after Angela Glover died trying to. Advertisement. Once again some jerk driver thinks they are in the movie "fast and furious" and thay cant even pass without hitting someone. Before joining The Chronicle, he worked at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Modesto Bee, where he covered the Scott Peterson case. Tu'ipelehake's efforts to reach out to those residents ended in the crash at about 9 p.m. Wednesday when Edith Delgado, 18, of Redwood City struck the vehicle the prince and his wife were riding in as they traveled north on Highway 101 in Menlo Park, authorities said. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters described the deaths as a "tragedy" and praised Prince Tu'ipelehake's efforts at reform. Your previous content has been restored. The body of a British woman swept away by the tsunami in Tonga has been found, her brother says. She was a member of the Tongan Royal family. Prosecutors said Delgado had been racing a Cadillac Escalade at speeds of at least 80 mph, using the freeway as "her playground.". Kefu, who was affectionately known as "Poli", was the president of Tonga Leitis Association, an organisation dedicated. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two royal family members from the South Pacific island nation of Tonga were killed when a teenager racing her car crashed into their sport utility vehicle, authorities. Delgado was sentenced after being convicted earlier this year on misdemeanor manslaughter for a crash on Highway 101 that killed Prince Tu'ipelehake and Princess Kaimana. The princess said Friday, July 14, 2006, her family has forgiven the teenage girl charged with killing a Tongan prince and princess in a car crash. The newspaper said the report was based on statements to police by Mr Waterhouse's youngest son. Redwood City woman sentenced to 2 years in royal Tongans' deaths. The couple and their driver, Vinisia Hefa, 36, were killed about 9 p.m. Wednesday as they traveled north on Highway 101 through the peninsula city of Menlo Park. "It was more. The three people who died Wednesday night in a crash on Highway 101 in Menlo Park included two members of the Tongan royal family, several sources have confirmed. He had been chairing a Parliamentary National Committee for Political Reform, with support from Tongas regent princess, who is ruling as the ailing king seeks treatment for heart problems. Bet the suspect was on her cell phone too. Prince Tu'ipelehake, Princess Kaimana and their driver died when a teenager crashed. Tonga's Princess Royal, Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita talking about her fashion, style and wardrobe. The prince and princess had traveled to the San Francisco Bay area to discuss political reforms in the tiny South Pacific nation with members of the regions Tongan community. Hunga TongaHunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami, List of honours of the Tongan Royal Family by country, "Tupouto'a Lavaka, Tonga's new Crown Prince", "Crown Prince Tonga's first High Commissioner to Australia", read&id=41482 "Tongas Crown Prince made High Commissioner in Canberra", "Announcement of the Passing of His Late Majesty & Proclamation of the New King", "King of Tonga, an Old Leysian, hosts royal tour", "One in seven countries has leader who studied in UK", "HRH The Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka: Tonga's First High Commissioner to Australia", "Tonga's Crown Prince New Ambassador to Japan", "Volcano triggers Tonga tsunami, alerts issued from Japan to US", "Tonga's King returns to royal castle following tsunami", "Tongan crown prince marries second cousin", "HM King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u crowned at Centenary Church", "Tonga crowns King Tupou VI in lavish public coronation, parties", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tupou_VI&oldid=1140646752, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 02:09. 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Pelican grounded by weather in South Lake Tahoe, Weather service upgrades to winter storm warning; 4 feet of snow possible for Tahoe, Insurance commissioner must act now to prevent crisis (Opinion). [2] He served as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and resided in Canberra[3][4] until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho became King of Tonga, with the regnal name Tupou VI. Initially the brother did become king. Ms Delgado's car slammed into the driver's side of the SUV, causing it to swerve across several lanes before tumbling to a stop on its roof. His death at age 88 ends one of the world's. The jury needed to make that finding to convict her of the felony charges. She was educated at Queen Salote College (Kolofo'ou, Tongatapu, Tonga) and the Tonga Side School. Now the last monarchy in the Pacific, Tonga has been a Polynesian kingdom and a protectorate of Britain, from which it acquired independence in 1970. San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault identified the dead members of the royal family Thursday as a 46-year-old female and a 56-year-old male, but he declined to release their names, citing "respect for the Tongan culture and their protocols that they notify the government and the legal next of kin.". Tonga's royal family has denied allegations they were involved in covering up the murder of an Australian horse trainer. WSP ended pursuit of speeding driver near Ellensburg. She is the sole daughter and eldest child of Tupou VI, King of Tonga and Queen Nanasipau'u. With the killings of the royal family, chess pieces started to move, but it took a while before the moves concluded. Edith Delgado, center, is led away from a Redwood City, Calif., courtroom on Friday after she received a two-year sentence for a freeway crash that killed Tongan Prince Tu'ipelehake and his wife, Princess Kaimana. Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. IE 11 is not supported. The other side of the equation is the very serious harm" that Delgado's actions caused. Once again some jerk driver thinks they are in the movie "fast and furious" and thay cant even pass without hitting someone. ** Mandatory credit for photographer and the San Francisco Chronicle/ -Mags out, Authorities investigate the scene of a fatal vehicle wreck, Wednesday, July 5, 2006, on U.S. Highway 101 in Menlo Park, Calif. Two royal family members from the South Pacific island nation of Tonga were killed when a teenager racing her car crashed into their sport utility vehicle, authorities said. Edith Delgado, 19, wept as the sentence was read, and she left San Mateo County Superior Court surrounded by family members, who declined to comment. Read about our approach to external linking. Now the last monarchy in the Pacific, Tonga has been a Polynesian kingdom and a protectorate of Britain, from which it acquired independence in 1970. At stake is the loyalty of young, college-educated voters who are a critical part of the Democratic . Display as a link instead, She will likely spend another four to six months in jail, prosecutors said. The accident happened on Wednesday in Menlo Park, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of San Francisco. WSP ended pursuit of speeding driver near Ellensburg. Read about our approach to external linking. The Tongan government has not issued a statement. In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as simultaneous defence minister and foreign minister from October 1998 until August 2004. "But the decision has been made, and we respect it.". On the night of July 16, 1918, a Bolshevik assassination squad executed Czar Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra, and their five children, putting an end to the Romanov family dynasty . She was killed in a car accident in San Francisco, California. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his brother (a bachelor) had no legitimate children. She previously covered state politics, focusing on the California Legislature, governor, budget and criminal justice. WASHINGTON (AP) Both Democrats and Republicans are preparing for a prolonged political battle over student debt relief if the U.S. Supreme Court rejects President Joe Biden's plan to forgive federal loans.