Princess Victoria Kamāmalu Kaʻahumanu IV

## Princess Victoria Kamāmalu: A Life of Duty and Transition in the Hawaiian Kingdom

Princess Victoria Kamāmalu Kaʻahumanu IV (born Wikolia Kamehamalu Keawenui Kaʻahumanu-a-Kekūanaōʻa, also known as Kalehelani Kiheahealani) was a pivotal figure in the Hawaiian Kingdom during a period of immense change and external influence. Born on November 1, 1838, at the Honolulu Fort on Oʻahu, she was destined for a life of leadership and responsibility within the Kamehameha dynasty. Her full name, Wikolia Kamehamalu Keawenui Kaʻahumanu-a-Kekūanaōʻa, reflects her esteemed lineage and connection to powerful Aliʻi. The Christian name Victoria was bestowed in honor of Queen Victoria, symbolizing the close diplomatic ties between the Hawaiian and British monarchies [5] [6] [7].

Victoria Kamāmalu was the only daughter of Elizabeth Kīnaʻu (Kaʻahumanu II), who served as Kuhina Nui, and Mataio Kekūanaōʻa, the royal governor of Oʻahu. Through her mother, she was a granddaughter of Kamehameha I, the revered founder of the united Hawaiian Kingdom. Her two elder brothers, Alexander Liholiho and Lot Kapuāiwa, would later ascend to the throne as Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V, respectively. She was named after her maternal aunt, Queen Kamāmalu, consort of Kamehameha II, who tragically died of measles in London [82]. Notably, her mother, Kīnaʻu, defied traditional Hawaiian *hānai* (adoptive) practices by personally nursing Victoria, having given away her previous four sons [8]. Victoria was also closely connected to future Queen Liliʻuokalani, who was two months her junior. Both girls were baptized on December 23, 1838, by American missionary Levi Chamberlain [9]. They shared a close bond from a young age, with Liliʻuokalani often accompanying Victoria on visits to their aunt Kekāuluohi [91]. Another significant family connection was Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a classmate at the Royal School and *hānai* child of Kīnaʻu and Kekūanaōʻa [93].

From an early age, Victoria’s education at the Chiefs\' Children\'s School (later Royal School) prepared her for future political roles. She was among the royal children chosen by Kamehameha III as eligible for the Hawaiian throne [11] [12] [13]. Her destiny to become *Kuhina Nui* (premier) was clear, and she received an education tailored to this high office. In 1850, she was formally appointed Heiress Presumptive to the title of *Kuhina Nui*, succeeding Keoni Ana. Upon her brother Alexander Liholiho\'s ascension as Kamehameha IV in 1854, Victoria became *Kuhina Nui* in 1855, a position she held until December 21, 1863 [100]. In this powerful role, she presided over the King\'s Privy Council and, most significantly, acted as Regent following the unexpected death of Kamehameha IV in 1863. During this critical period, she constitutionally assumed the power of the state for a day, proclaiming Prince Lot Kamehameha as King Kamehameha V, as stipulated by the 1852 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom [104] [106]. Her proclamation, delivered before the Legislature, stated: "It having pleased Almighty God to close the earthly career of King Kamehameha IV, at a quarter past 9 o’clock this morning, I, as Kuhina Nui, by and with the advice of the Privy Council of State hereby proclaim Prince Lot Kamehameha, King of Hawaii, under the style and title of Kamehameha V. God preserve the King!" [110]. This act demonstrated her crucial role in maintaining stability during a time of royal succession.

Victoria Kamāmalu’s personal life was marked by both duty and scandal. She was betrothed to William Charles Lunalilo, a union widely supported by the Hawaiian people and planned by their parents from infancy. However, her brothers, Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V, forbade the marriage, fearing that the children of Victoria and Lunalilo would possess a higher *mana* (spiritual power) than their own royal lines [23] [24]. This decision caused considerable distress and ultimately led to the cancellation of the wedding. In an attempt to separate the pair, Kamehameha IV even tried to arrange engagements for Victoria with David Kalākaua and for Lunalilo with Lydia Kamakaʻeha (Liliʻuokalani) [25] [14]. A notable scandal occurred in 1857 involving Victoria and Marcus Cummins Monsarrat, a married English auctioneer. While some accounts portray this as a love affair, Charles de Varigny, a contemporary, defended the princess, suggesting Monsarrat’s “insolence reached a point at which the princess was obliged to cry for help” [28]. The incident led to Monsarrat’s banishment from Hawaiʻi by Kamehameha IV, who was enraged by the perceived dishonor to his sister and the royal family [26] [27]. The scandal likely contributed to the termination of her proposed engagement to Kalākaua, and she remained unmarried for the rest of her life [26] [29] [129].

Beyond her political roles, Princess Victoria made significant cultural contributions. She was an accomplished pianist and vocalist, leading the choir of Kawaiahao Church for many years. Her dedication to the church and her close friendship with American missionaries were well-known, even as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Crichton Wyllie, considered her participation in the choir improper for a royal princess [136]. In 1863, she founded the Kaʻahumanu Society, an organization dedicated to the welfare of ill and elderly Hawaiians, initially formed to nurse victims of the smallpox epidemic [38] [39] [40]. This society continues its work today, a testament to her enduring legacy of compassion and community service. In her later years, Victoria became increasingly disillusioned with Western modernization and embraced ancient Hawaiian traditions. This shift was profoundly evident in her funeral, which revived many traditional Native Hawaiian rites, including the *kanikau* (grief wailing) and public hula performances [47] [153]. These practices, though labeled as "pagan orgies" by some Western observers like Mark Twain, were a deliberate choice by her brother, Kamehameha V, to honor her dying wishes and her renewed commitment to Hawaiian heritage [48] [157].

Princess Victoria Kamāmalu’s historical significance is deeply intertwined with the fate of the Hawaiian Kingdom. As *Kuhina Nui* and later Crown Princess, she was a central figure in the royal succession. Her childless death on May 29, 1866, at the young age of 27, at Papakanene house in Honolulu, had profound implications for the monarchy [24] [33]. The official cause of death was vaguely attributed to "imprudently bathing while heated" [42] [43], though private speculation by Mark Twain suggested more controversial circumstances [42] [44]. Her passing left her brother, Kamehameha V, without an obvious heir, as he remained a bachelor throughout his life [45]. This lack of a direct successor ultimately led to the election of Lunalilo after Kamehameha V\'s death in 1872, marking a significant shift in the Hawaiian monarchy. Her vast landholdings, including ancestral lands of her mother and Queen Kaʻahumanu, were inherited by her father and eventually passed to her half-sister Keʻelikōlani, forming a crucial part of the endowment for the Kamehameha Schools [148].

Princess Victoria Kamāmalu is remembered today as a powerful and influential Aliʻi who navigated the complexities of a changing world while striving to uphold Hawaiian traditions. Her legacy is multifaceted: she was a dedicated public servant as *Kuhina Nui*, a patron of cultural and social welfare through the Kaʻahumanu Society, and a symbol of Hawaiian identity. The Kaʻahumanu Society, which she founded, continues its vital work, providing care and support to the Hawaiian community [148]. Her life, though cut short, profoundly impacted the trajectory of the Hawaiian Kingdom, highlighting the challenges of succession, the tension between traditional practices and Western influence, and the enduring spirit of the Hawaiian people. Her story is a testament to the strength and resilience of the Aliʻi during a critical period in Hawaiian history.