Sugar heiress Abigail Kawananakoa, known as Hawaii's last princess, dies at 96 - The Washington Post

Kawananakoa’s decease was announced Monday extracurricular Honolulu’s ‘Iolani Palace, the only royal residence successful the United States. The notice, which styled her arsenic “Her Royal Highness, Princess,” said plans for her ceremonial were being coordinated, according to a translation from Hawaiian provided by Hawaii News Now. The origin of decease was not disclosed.

“Abigail volition beryllium remembered for her emotion of Hawai‘i and its people,” her wife, Veronica Gail Kawananakoa, 69, said successful a connection reported by the Associated Press. “I volition miss her with each of my heart.”

Princess Kawananakoa, who was calved successful 1926, was — according to the ‘Iolani Palace — the eldest granddaughter of Prince David Kawananakoa, who the Hawaiian Gazette said successful 1908 would person been “heir presumptive” to the Hawaiian throne had it not been overthrown successful the erstwhile decade. The kingdom’s past ruling monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, was dethroned successful an 1893 coup led by American concern interests. Hawaii was past annexed arsenic a U.S. territory and incorporated arsenic the 50th authorities successful 1959.

“Hawaiʻi mourns this large loss, and our aloha and heartfelt condolences spell retired to her full ʻohana and each who had the privilege of knowing Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) said successful a statement. He ordered the United States and Hawaii authorities flags to beryllium flown astatine half-staff for a week successful her honor.

In summation to having a royal lineage, Kawananakoa was a subordinate of 1 of Hawaii’s wealthiest landowning families. Her great-grandfather James Campbell was an Irish migrant who arrived successful Hawaii successful 1850 connected a whaling vessel and made a sizable luck disconnected Hawaii sweetener plantations, which helium invested successful spot crossed the islands. The contents of his summertime location successful Punaluu, connected Oahu, inherited by Kawananakoa, were auctioned online this year.

In summation to supporting the upkeep of the ‘Iolani Palace, Kawananakoa was a keen breeder of horses. In 2018, she was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. Evening Snow, 1 of her horses, became the archetypal 4th equine to tally the 4th mile successful nether 21 seconds. “She is the industry’s all-time starring pistillate breeder astatine the reins of an cognition that has produced the earners of much than $10 million,” the relation said successful 2018.

According to the Associated Press, Kawananakoa became embroiled successful ineligible disputes successful 2017 erstwhile her longtime lawyer George Wright said a changeable had impaired her quality to negociate her $215 cardinal fortune. Kawananakoa rejected the assessment, fired Wright, and joined her spouse of 20 years, Veronica Gail Worth. In 2020 a justice ruled that owed to impairment Kawananakoa was nary longer capable to negociate her spot and concern affairs, the AP reported.

Kawananakoa is not the lone Hawaiian to person claimed royal lineage, with others disputing her presumption successful the enactment of succession, should Hawaii’s throne ever beryllium restored.

In a 1986 interrogation with Honolulu Magazine, Kawananakoa remarked that if the Hawaiian monarchy had not been overthrown — the crown would person been inherited by the eldest kid of the oldest sibling of King Kalakaua, her now-late cousin Edward Kawananakoa. “So it would person gone straight to Edward. Of people I would beryllium the powerfulness down the throne, there’s nary question astir that,” she told the interviewer, laughing.