Several thousand people gathered this afternoon at the royal burial ground, Malae Kula, in the Tonga capital, for the funeral of the late King George Tupou the Fifth.
150 former pupils of Tupou College had earlier carried the King's casket in a procession from the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa where the King had been lying in state overnight.
The Royal Chaplain the Reverend Dr Ahio conducted a service of prayers and hymns which was followed by the playing of the Last Post.
Many foreign dignitaries attended the service including Fiji's president, Samoa's head of state, the Governors General of New Zealand and Australia, the leaders of Niue and Kiribati and a number of diplomats.
