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I was talking to Jacelin Oliva recently about Queen Lili‘uokalani. She’s taking a class at the University of Hawaii that touches on her book, “Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen.”
In it is an interesting account about the July 1869 visit to Hawaii by Prince Alfred of England, the Duke of Edinburgh. The story gives insight into royal life during our monarchy era, and there were also some interesting consequences to the visit.
In 1869, Prince Alfred arrived in Honolulu harbor on Her Britannic Majesty’s ship of war Galatea. King Kamehameha V, then 38, was on the throne.
The Galatea “saluted the Hawaiian flag,” the Pacific Commercial Advertiser wrote — meaning it fired its cannon — “which was responded to by the battery on Punch Bowl Hill.”
Prince Alfred was the 24-year-old son of Queen Victoria. His older brother became King Edward VII in 1901.
When the king learned of the duke’s planned visit, Queen Lili‘uokalani wrote, he made special preparations for his reception. For his accommodation on shore, he provided the residence of the late Mataio Kekuanaoa, who died in November of the preceding year.
Kekuanaoa had been governor of Oahu. He was also the father of Kamehameha IV and V. His home was near Queen and Fort streets where the Topa (formerly the Amfac) building is today.
A huge crowd cheered the prince at the wharf. His Majesty King Kamehameha V, Oahu Gov. John Dominis and many other officials welcomed the prince and took him the short distance to the home that had been fitted for his occupancy.
A few hours later Kamehameha V’s cavalry escorted him to Iolani Palace where the king again received him.
Princess Lili‘uokalani, then 30, gave a grand luau at her Waikiki residence, to which were invited “all those connected with the government, all the first families of the city, whether of native or foreign birth,” she said.
“I suppose the feast would be styled a breakfast in other lands, for it was to begin at eleven o’clock in the forenoon.”
The prince arrived with the ambassador of Great Britain, Major J.H. Wodehouse, and his wife.
“The sailor-prince mounted the driver’s box of the Wodehouse carriage, and taking the reins from that official, showed himself an expert in the management of horses.
“All the members of the royal family of England are, I understand, excellent horsemen,” Queen Lili‘uokalani continued, “and in doing this the Duke of Edinburgh was only following customs to which he had been trained in his own land.
“The Queen Dowager Kalama, widow of Kamehameha III, drove out to Waikiki in her own carriage of state, accompanied by her adopted son, Kunuiakea, and my sister, Miriam Likelike,” betrothed at the time to Alexander S. Cleghorn. The couple later became the parents of Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani.
“The drivers of these carriages wore the royal feather shoulder-capes, and the footmen were also clad in like royal fashion. It was considered one of the grandest occasions in the history of those days, and all passed off as becoming the high birth and commanding position of our visitor.
“The guests were received with every mark of courtesy by my husband — John Owen Dominis — and myself, as well as by His Majesty Kamehameha V, who was one of the first arrivals.
“When the prince entered he was met by two very pretty Hawaiian ladies, who advanced, and, according to the custom of our country, decorated him with leis, or long, pliable wreaths of flowers suspended from the neck.
“As Mrs. Bush, considered one of the most beautiful women in the Hawaiian Islands, advanced and proceeded to tie the flowery garland about the neck of the prince, he seemed perhaps a bit confused at the novel custom; but, submitting with the easy grace of a gentleman, he appeared to be excessively pleased with the flowers and with the expression of friendly welcome conveyed to him by the act.”
Another grand party was thrown at James Robinson’s home for the handsome young prince. It was attended by King Kamehameha V and the ranking alii in the kingdom.
Robinson and his partners built a large, two-story coral rock building at Pakaka Point, next to where Aloha Tower is today at Pier 11.
It was the most prominent feature of the waterfront. The bottom was a large warehouse for his shipbuilding and repair business, while the second floor had offices and living quarters.
James Robinson married Rebecca Prever, the 26-year-old half-Hawaiian daughter of a Maui chiefess, in 1843. Their first daughter, Mary, was born there. Mary would later marry Tom Foster and live at what became Foster Botanical Garden. Her younger sister was Victoria Ward.
“Balls, picnics, and parties followed this day of enjoyment,” the queen wrote, “and the prince gave an entertainment in return at his own house, which was attended by my husband and myself, and by most of the distinguished persons in the city.”
Islanders visited the prince’s temporary home on Queen Street, many bearing a gift, such as coconuts, mangoes and tapa cloth. The newspapers later calculated that over 700 fowl, 160 pigs and two tons each of melon, poi, sugar cane and sweet potatoes ended up in the Galatea’s storerooms.
Many would “stop and shake hands with the Duke, who, with true democratic spirit, treated them all alike,” The Pacific Commercial Advertiser reported.
A mainland paper was not so generous. One in Omaha, Neb., criticized the prince for his “depraved tastes and low debauchery.” His offense? The prince asked for “a disgraceful and obscene dance, called the ‘hula hula,’” it wrote. The prince nonetheless enjoyed the entertainment that Hawaii provided.
“The day of departure for the Galatea arrived,” Queen Lili‘uokalani continued, “and the prince called on me to express the pleasure he had taken during his visit, and the regrets he felt at leaving us. On this occasion he presented me with an armlet emblematic of his profession. It was of solid gold, a massively wrought chain made after the pattern of a ship’s cable, with an anchor as a pendant.
“He also gave me copies of two of his own musical compositions; and to this day I keep and cherish these three souvenirs of the son of England’s good queen, and at the same time one of England’s noblest sailors.
“We have met once since those days, at the Queen’s Jubilee, during my visit to London in 1887. Our past acquaintance was cordially recognized by the prince, who was then my escort on a state occasion.”
I wondered whether these gifts still exist and, if so, where they are. The bracelet, I found, is at Bishop Museum. We have photos of the queen wearing it, and another of it when it was on display at Washington Place.
Jim Bartels, former curator and managing director of Iolani Palace, said the bracelet was a favorite of the queen’s because the duke and she connected over their mutual interest in music.
I’ve been unable to locate the sheet music he gave her, so far.
There were a few significant, lasting consequences of the prince’s visit.
Kamehameha V was embarrassed that there was not a well-appointed place for the prince to stay and urged the building of a lavish hotel. The solution was the constructing of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which opened downtown on Richards and Alakea streets in 1871.
Also, a baby was born in Bernice Pauahi’s downtown home days before the prince’s visit, and she suggested that he be named in his honor. Thirty-one years later the now-grown man had a son, also born in Pauahi’s home. They shared a first and last name: Duke Kahanamoku.
Have a question or suggestion? Contact Bob Sigall, author of the five “The Companies We Keep” books, at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
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