Hawaiian royalty. Born in 1802 or 1803, Chiefess Liliha had an impeccable genealogy. Her father was Ulumaheihei Hoapili, Kamehameha's most trusted companion; her paternal grandfather was Kame'eiamoku, one of Kamehameha's four war generals and a respected advisor; her maternal grandfather was the great Kahekili, high chief of Maui and later of O'ahu. As a young woman in the court of Kamehameha I, Liliha was noted for her loyalty, strength of character and beauty. After she and her first husband separated, she married Boki, a high chief and medicinal practitioner. In November 1823, Kamehameha II embarked on a trip to petition the British King, George IV, for the protection of Hawai'i against foreign intrusion. The royal entourage - Kamehameha II, Queen Kamehamalu, Boki, Liliha and seven other chiefs arrived in London in May 1824. Before they could meet with the English king, however, members of the delegation, one by one, contracted measles. Despite the efforts of the British physicians, Queen Kamehamalu succumbed. Liliha cared for the queen even while she herself was recovering, and she continued to serve her after death. Before the body was removed for embalming, Liliha clothed her mistress in native dress and crowned her with lei made of English flowers. Kamehameha was distraught over the loss of his wife; six days later he died as well, in Liliha's arms. Amid the grief and confusion, it was left to Boki to assume leadership of the delegation. It was he who accepted condolences from George IV, along with a guarantee of protectoral status for the Islands. Upon the return home, Boki resumed his position as governor of Oahu. By 1829, he was in debt, and organized an expedition with several other chiefs to collect sandalwood in the New Hebrides. He placed Liliha in charge of all his official and personal responsibilities-the management of the young King Kamehameha III's properties on O'ahu, which included the fort and harbor in Honolulu; other forts in Waikiki and Punchbowl; and the taro-rich districts of Ko'olaupoko, Ko'olauloa and 'Ewa, along with their prized fisheries. Boki was also the personal guardian of the boy king, a duty that carried great status. This honor, too, passed to Liliha, much to the chagrin of the queen regent, Ka'ahumanu. Ka'ahumanu, unsurprisingly, distrusted Liliha and accused her of being a bad influence. After Boki set sail, Liliha further demonstrated her kindheartedness by gathering under her roof all the chiefesses whose husbands were accompanying Boki, to take care of them until the men returned. Months later, when word arrived that Boki and his crew had been lost at sea, Liliha continued to provide shelter and food to the widows and families. For her sympathetic heart and her generosity, she won the love of chiefs and commoners alike. Sadly, on August 25, 1839, Liliha died unexpectedly at Leleo, in Honolulu, at the age of 37. Before her body was taken to Lahaina, people from all over the kingdom came to Honolulu to pay their last respects. According to the native historian Kamakau, the Kikihale River "was stamped dry" by the feet of the multitudes of mourners. Because of her high rank, she was given a place at the small island of Moku'ula in Lahaina, Maui, among the remains of other chiefs. All of these remains were later moved to Waiola Cemetery, and the lake the island sat in dried up and was used as a baseball field for some time. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation, however, has plans to excevate the site, and the field has fallen into disuse until work is done.