From the BBC
Tonga crowns king in lavish rite

George Tupou V has been crowned king of Tonga in the capital Nuku’alofa, marking the South Pacific state’s first coronation in more than 40 years.

He was anointed with oil and had a gold crown placed on his head in the Christian ceremony, performed in a church before 1,000 guests.

Thousands of people had lined the route to the church and cheered when the new monarch emerged.

Sitting on a golden throne on Friday in the capital’s Centenary Free Wesleyan Church, George Tupou V was “anointed, blessed and consecrated” by the Archbishop of Polynesia, Jabez Bryce.

***The king wore silk knee breeches, a medal-decked jacket and a maroon-coloured cape trimmed with white ermine fur.*** (how very stylish!)

His three-metre-long (10-foot) train was carried by child pages.

A 21-cannon salute and the tolling of church bells marked the coronation.

The ceremony was followed by an extravagant lunch, and then traditional dancing, a fireworks display and an open-air royal charity concert.

There were three separate coronation balls – one for guests listed as “VVIPs” (very, very important persons), one for “VIPs” and a third for regular guests, reported AP.