Queen Kapiʻolani

# Queen Kapiʻolani (Julia Kapiʻolani Napelakapuokakae)

Queen Kapiʻolani (December 31, 1834 – June 24, 1899) was a pivotal figure in the Hawaiian Kingdom, serving as the queen consort of King Kalākaua. Her life was marked by a deep commitment to the health and welfare of Native Hawaiians, a dedication that shaped her legacy and continues to impact Hawaii today.

## Early Life and Lineage

Born on December 31, 1834, in Hilo, on Hawaiʻi Island, her full name was Kapiʻolani Napelakapuokakaʻe [7][a]. The name Kapiʻolani is composed of three Hawaiian words, ka piʻo lani, literally meaning "the arch of heaven" (rainbows signified the presence of royalty) [10]. Her secondary name, Napelakapuokakaʻe, translates to "the sacred flesh of Kakae" [11]. She was named after her great-aunt, High Chiefess Kapiʻolani, who famously defied the goddess Pele, demonstrating her Christian faith [8][9].

Kapiʻolani's parents were High Chief Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole of Hilo and High Chiefess Kinoiki Kekaulike of Kauaʻi. Her mother was the daughter of King Kaumualiʻi, the last independent king of Kauaʻi before its cession to Kamehameha the Great [5]. She had two younger sisters: Kapoʻoloku Poʻomaikelani (1839–1895) and Kinoiki Kekaulike (1843–1884) [6]. Raised in Hilo until the age of eight, she then moved to Kona and later to Honolulu at sixteen, where King Kamehameha III became her guardian [12]. She was educated in the Hawaiian language and, though she understood some English, she required a translator for fluent communication [13][14]. She became a member of the Anglican Church of Hawaiʻi after its establishment in 1862 [15][16][17].

## Marriages and Royal Role

Kapiʻolani's first marriage was on March 7, 1852, to High Chief Bennett Nāmākēhā, a member of the House of Nobles [18]. Nāmākēhā, thirty years her senior, was Queen Emma's uncle, making Kapiʻolani her aunt by marriage. Kapiʻolani served as Queen Emma's highest-ranking lady-in-waiting [19][20]. The couple had no children, though Kapiʻolani experienced a miscarriage [21]. Nāmākēhā passed away on December 27, 1860 [8][19]. During this marriage, Kapiʻolani and Nāmākēhā were appointed caretakers of Prince Albert Kamehameha, the son of Queen Emma and Kamehameha IV. Kapiʻolani served as the royal child's chief nurse. The prince's death at age four in 1862 led to some historical speculation of animosity from Queen Emma towards Kapiʻolani, though evidence suggests otherwise, with Queen Emma expressing deep sympathy for Kapiʻolani's grief [22][23][24][25][26].

On December 19, 1863, Kapiʻolani remarried to David Kalākaua, an aspiring high chief and politician [15][8]. Their marriage was initially criticized due to occurring during the mourning period for King Kamehameha IV [15][8]. Kalākaua ascended to the Hawaiian throne on February 12, 1874, after defeating Queen Dowager Emma in the election to succeed Lunalilo [31]. With his accession, Kapiʻolani became the Queen Consort of Hawaii [32]. The royal couple embarked on a royal tour of the Hawaiian Islands from March to May 1874, receiving enthusiastic welcomes from the populace [33][34].

Their marriage to Kalākaua remained childless [35]. To ensure succession and uphold Hawaiian tradition, Kapiʻolani and her sister Poʻomaikelani adopted, through the _hānai_ tradition, their sister Kekaulike's three sons: David Kawānanakoa, Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, and Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui [36]. In 1883, Kalākaua bestowed the title of Prince with the style of Highness upon Kapiʻolani's nephews in honor of his coronation [37][38]. Following Kekaulike's death in 1884, Kalākaua and Kapiʻolani became the legal guardians of all three boys [39].

## Coronation and Philanthropy

Queen Kapiʻolani and King Kalākaua were formally crowned on February 12, 1883, in a grand ceremony at ʻIolani Palace [40][41][42]. This coronation had been delayed since Kalākaua's accession in 1874 due to civil unrest [43]. The event was a significant display of Hawaiian sovereignty and royal prestige, with elaborate preparations including custom-made crowns from the United Kingdom and extensive celebrations [40][44]. During the ceremony, King Kalākaua placed a smaller crown upon Kapiʻolani's head, declaring, "I place this crown upon your head to share the honours of my throne" [46].

Queen Kapiʻolani was deeply invested in the health and welfare of Native Hawaiians, aligning with her husband's vision of Hoʻoulu Lāhui (increasing the nation) [32][51][52]. She established the Kapiʻolani Maternity Home, providing care for Hawaiian mothers and newborns [32][51][52]. She also frequently visited the Kakaʻako Branch Hospital, a receiving station for leprosy patients, where she befriended Mother Marianne Cope and the Sisters of Saint Francis [53]. Her visit to the Kalaupapa Leper Settlement on Molokaʻi on July 21, 1884, highlighted the plight of children born to leprosy patients. Kapiʻolani promised to establish a home for these children, leading to significant improvements in the patients' living conditions [54][55]. On November 9, 1885, the Kapiʻolani Home for Girls at Kakaʻako was founded, dedicated to the education of daughters of parents with leprosy. Queen Kapiʻolani officiated at the dedication, presenting the key to Mother Marianne Cope, who was also honored with the Royal Order of Kapiʻolani for her service [56][57].

## International Relations and Widowhood

In April 1887, Queen Kapiʻolani, accompanied by Princess Liliʻuokalani and other dignitaries, traveled to London to attend Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee [58]. During their journey, they visited Washington, D.C., meeting President Grover Cleveland and his wife [59]. In London, they were granted an audience with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace and attended the Jubilee service at Westminster Abbey [60]. Kapiʻolani's attire, including a peacock-feathered dress, garnered attention [61]. However, their trip was cut short by news of political unrest in Hawaii, specifically the forced signing of the Bayonet Constitution, which severely limited the monarch's power [62]. The royal party returned to Hawaii amidst this political turmoil.

King Kalākaua's health declined, and he traveled to California in November 1890, where he passed away on January 20, 1891 [63][64][65]. With his death, Kapiʻolani became the Dowager Queen. Kalākaua's will left his private property to Kapiʻolani and designated a line of succession that included Kapiʻolani as third-in-line to the throne after Liliʻuokalani and Princess Kaʻiulani, with a provision for her to serve as regent if Kaʻiulani ascended as a minor [67][68].

Following her husband's death and Liliʻuokalani's accession, Queen Dowager Kapiʻolani largely withdrew from public life [151]. The Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown on January 17, 1893, and the Republic of Hawaiʻi was established, leading to the eventual annexation of Hawaii by the United States [69][70]. Kapiʻolani spent her remaining years at her private residence, Pualeilani, in Waikīkī. Before her final illness, she transferred her extensive landholdings to her nephews, Prince Kawānanakoa and Prince Kūhiō [151]. She suffered three strokes and passed away on June 24, 1899, at the age of sixty-four [32][151]. Her funeral was a significant event, with her body lying in state at Kawaiahaʻo Church before a state funeral procession to the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii at Mauna ʻAla, where she was interred alongside her husband and other members of the House of Kalākaua [32][2][71]. Her remains were later transferred to the underground Kalākaua Crypt in 1910 [72].

## Legacy

Queen Kapiʻolani's legacy is enduring and multifaceted. Her dedication to the health of her people is remembered through institutions like the Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, which evolved from the Kapiʻolani Maternity Home she founded [32]. Kapiʻolani Park in Waikīkī, Kapiʻolani Boulevard, and Kapiʻolani Community College are also named in her honor, reflecting her lasting impact on the islands [32]. She also composed the love song "Ka Ipo Lei Manu" for her husband, King Kalākaua [73]. Her life exemplifies a commitment to her people's well-being and the preservation of Hawaiian culture during a period of immense change and political upheaval. Her efforts in public health and education, particularly for women and children, continue to benefit the Hawaiian community today. Her unwavering support for the Hawaiian monarchy and her dignified conduct during its decline underscore her historical significance in the context of Hawaiian sovereignty. [32][73]