to appoint the prime minister and ministers. However, it seemed certain that the Monarch would continue to appoint and administer the Judiciary of Tonga for the purposes of assuring that political independence and neutrality were retained. Tupou V also retained the power to commute prison sentences. Divesting business interests As king, his first proclamation was that he would dispose of all his business assets as soon as reasonably possible, and in accordance with the law. Tonfön was sold in 2007, but efforts to divest from Shoreline Power were delayed after New Zealand investors withdrew following the 2006 Nuku‘alofa riots. Other On 24 February 2012, he visited Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City. During his reign, George Tupou V oversaw reforms within the Tongan honours system which both expanded the number of Orders in the Kingdom and created rules to make the award of these Orders more egalitarian. In 2008 he bestowed noble titles to family members. Most significantly he restored the 'Prince' title to his nephew Prince Tungi, who is the eldest son of Prince Fatafehi 'Alaivahamama'o Tuku'aho. Illness and death In September 2011, Tupou V had surgery to remove a kidney following the discovery of a tumour. On 15 September 2011, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary from Pál Schmitt, the president of Hungary. During his time as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he had been made an officer of France's Legion of Honour. Matangi Tonga reported that George Tupou V died in HKT on 18 March 2012 at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, though governing institutions in Tonga did not immediately confirm it. His brother and heir presumptive Tupouto'a Lavaka was at the hospital when he died. Domestic reactions A statement was due following a cabinet meeting the day after his death. Radio Australia reported that Tonga's largest religious organisation, the Free Wesleyan Church, said it would hold a prayer service at the queen mother's residence in Nukuʻalofa. Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano later made a national address calling on the people of Tonga to pray for the royal family and the country, according to Radio New Zealand. International reactions Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence saying that King Tupou was "a true statesman who served his country with distinction". King Harald V sent a message of condolence to King Tupou VI, in which he