Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumopeau Tupou, Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu (born 14 March 1943, in Nukuʻalofa, died 13 August 2013) was a diplomat from the Kingdom of Tonga. Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou had been the foreign minister of Tonga since 24 August 2004, though his appointment was not announced until 2 September 2004. He had also been Minister of Defense since April 2005 till his death. Taumoepeau-Tupou was Tonga's third foreign minister, after King George Tupou V (at that time: Tupoutoʻa Lavaka), and most recently Prince Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (at that time: Lavaka Ata Ulukālala). Taumoepeau-Tupou was a career diplomat. He had previously been Tonga's first ambassador to the United Nations after Tonga joined the United Nations in September 1999. During his tenure at the United Nations he was also accredited as Tonga's Ambassador to the United States and High Commissioner to Canada. On 1 May 2009, he relinquished his position as a Cabinet Minister, to take up more diplomatic positions. Early life Taumoepeau-Tupou was born in Nukualofa, Tonga to Samiuela Ma'afu Tupou and Lu'isa Ma'ume'afo'ou Taumoepeau. He was raised by Tevita Fa'ahivalu Taumoepeau and 'Ainise Kilinalivoni Tongilava. He attended primary school in Nukuʻalofa and Neiafu on Vava'u and continued his secondary education at Newington College, Stanmore, Sydney in 1953–1962, where he was known as Tom Tu'a. He later received his B.Sc. degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii, under a scholarship from the East-West Center. He married 'Amelia Latuniua Ahome'e, the youngest daughter of the Noble 'Ahome'e and Heu'ifanga Veikune. They had four children, and one of his daughters, Princess Marcella Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili (known previously as Lady Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili) married the son of Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili (eldest daughter of Sione Ngū Manumataongo and Princess Melenaite Tupoumoheofo Veikune) and Prince Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili (whom was formerly known as Lord Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili). Career He joined the Tongan Civil Service in 1969 as an assistant secretary in the prime minister's office. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Tonga Defence Services in 1971 and was posted to the Tonga High Commission in London as a First Secretary in 1973. In 1977 he re-joined the prime minister's office as an assistant secretary and was seconded to the Palace Office, where he was promoted to deputy secretary in 1978 and also appointed secretary to the Tongan Defence Board. He was promoted to secretary for foreign affairs in 1979 and in 1983 he was posted as Tonga's