Lavish Tonga coronation robes revealed on stamps

By MICHAEL FIELD - Fairfax Media | Monday, 21 July 2008 Lavish robes to be used in Friday's coronation of Tonga's King George Tupou V have been revealed in new postage stamps designed by a Wellington illustrator. Tonga is spending T$5 million (NZ$3 million) on the coronation of the aging bachelor, including NZ$570,000, for tailored robes from Gieves & Hawkes at 1 Savile Row in London's Mayfair. By tradition such robes are trimmed with ermine which comes from winter stoats and is used as a symbol of purity or virginity. Wellington designer Denise Durkin has produced designs for three stamps to be released on Friday. The main stamp features the king in coronation robes but it is not clear whether they are the ones to be used on Friday, or his father's. In another coronation move the king has created two new princess "who are to... [read full story]