ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku was born on 18 May 1850 as the daughter of Tēvita ʻUnga, who became Crown Prince of Tonga in 1875, and Fifita Vava’u. Her father was born to a secondary wife, so he only became Crown Prince after the death of his younger half-brother, Prince Vuna Takitakimālohi. Fusipala’s grandfather was the first King of modern Tonga, King George Tupou I.
Fusipala had two younger brothers, Prince ʻUiliamu ʻUelingatoni Ngū Tupoumālohi and Prince Nalesoni Laifone. Fusipala married her first cousin, Prince Siaʻosi Fatafehi Toutaitokotaha, who held the title of fourth Tuʻi Pelehake and who was a grandson of King George Tupou I through his mother.
Their only child, the future King George Tupou II of Tonga, was born on 18 June 1874. In the years to come, her importance would grow. Fusipala’s father died in 1879 before their grandfather, and the title of Crown Prince subsequently passed to the eldest of the two brothers. Crown Prince ʻUiliamu ʻUelingatoni Ngū Tupoumālohi. He died in 1885 without leaving any legitimate issue. Fusipala’s younger brother then became the Crown Prince. He, too, held the title just briefly – he died in June 1889 without leaving legitimate issue.
According to her grandfather’s will, Fusipala was now next in the line of succession.1
But more tragedy was to come. Sometime in September 1889. Fusipala herself died at the age of 39. Her cause of death is unclear.
In the end, King George Tupou II was succeeded by his great-grandson, Fusipala’s son, in 1893. Fusipala had missed out on becoming Queen in her own right by just four years. Her granddaughter, Sālote, succeeded as Queen in 1918.
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