Begging your royal pardon

NUKU‘ALOFA – If you were going to crash a car through someone’s fence in Tonga – the home of the royal family would be the best place to avoid.

Tonga Police are looking for the driver of a vehicle that crashed through the fence of the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa.

Police officers at the site said the crash was reported just before 11.00am on Friday, but when they arrived on the scene the driver was not with the vehicle. The windscreen of the 4WD vehicle was shattered above the steering wheel.

The traffic unit is currently tracking down the licence plate to find out the owner.

Police said that no witnesses had come forward to report they had seen the crash.

The driver made off without being spotted despite it being a busy Friday morning at the Royal Palace as people were presenting their gifts in preparation for HM King Tupou VI’s Coronation celebrations that start on June 27.

Tonga High School students and ex-students were inside the Palace grounds to present gifts and perform for the King this morning.