Nuku’alofa July 2024. The Hon Consul-General of Tonga to Portugal, Anthony Bailey, visited Lord Dalgety at the Royal Nuku‘alofa Club in the Tongan capital. During their meeting, discussions were held on strengthening legal ties between Tonga and Portugal, as well as launching charitable initiatives to support Tongan charities. This visit highlights the desire to grow both the diplomatic and judicial cooperation between the two nations.
Lord Dalgety of Sikotilani is a Tongan and Scottish lawyer and judge. He began his legal career in Scotland, becoming a Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 1986 and serving as a temporary sheriff from 1987 to 1991. In 1991, he relocated to Tonga, where he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court until 1995, occasionally acting as Chief Justice. In July 2008, HM King George Tupou V elevated him to the peerage as a Law Lord-in-Waiting.
Beyond his judicial career, Lord Dalgety has held various public sector roles, including serving as Electoral Commissioner from 2016. Lord Dalgety remains a key figure in Tonga’s governance as a member of the His Majesty’s Privy Council, an advisory body to the King. He continues to provide counsel on legal and governmental matters alongside other council members, including the President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Rev. Dr Tevita K. Havea, and former Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Surgeon, Dr Viliami Tangi.
The Royal Nuku‘alofa Club is a historic private gentlemen’s club founded in 1914. Located near the Royal Palace, the club has long served as a social hub for Tonga’s elite. Maintaining the ambience of the old South Pacific, it offers its members a setting for relaxation all within an environment showcasing traditional Tongan artistry.
