What connects Hawaiian royalty, a hungry ox, and this forgotten Michigan island?

Hawaiian Princes’ Diplomatic Mission and Apple Island Picnic

Two Hawaiian princes, just 15 and 19 years old, once picnicked on a tiny Michigan island while on a world tour to save their kingdom.

After France attacked Honolulu in 1849, King Kamehameha III sent his young heirs with his finance minister to seek help. They met U.S. presidents, European royals, and fought for treaties to protect Hawaii.

Yet on Apple Island in June 1850, their serious mission took a funny turn when an ox crashed their party and ate a lady’s bonnet. Both boys later became kings.

The peaceful shores of Apple Island still wait for visitors to walk where Hawaiian royalty once laughed.

French Warships Attacked Honolulu in 1849

Admiral Louis Tromelin sailed into Honolulu Harbor on August 12, 1849, with two warships after fights over Catholic rights and French brandy taxes.

He gave ten demands on August 22, and when they weren’t met, he sent 140 French Marines ashore. The Marines took over the fort, broke guns, raided government buildings, and caused $100,000 in damages.

They even stole King Kamehameha III’s yacht and sailed it to Tahiti.

After the French left on September 5, the king decided to send people to get treaties to protect Hawaii.

Two Royal Teenagers Joined a Diplomatic Mission

King Kamehameha III picked Dr. Gerrit P. Judd to lead talks with France, Britain, and the United States.

The king chose his adopted heirs, Prince Alexander Liholiho (15) and Prince Lot Kapuāiwa (19), as Judd’s helpers.

Both young men were grandsons of Kamehameha I and went to the Chiefs’ Children’s School with Protestant teachers.

The group left Hawaii on September 11, 1849, starting a year-long trip around the world to protect their kingdom.

The Hawaiian Princes Met President Taylor in Washington

The Hawaiian group first sailed to San Francisco, where the princes toured California in fall 1849. They continued through Panama, Jamaica, and up to New York City.

In Washington D. C., they shook hands with President Zachary Taylor and Vice President Millard Fillmore.

Prince Alexander faced racism when a train conductor thought he was a servant and asked why he sat in their reserved compartment, teaching the young prince how Americans viewed people with darker skin.

Paris Negotiations Went Nowhere Despite Three Months of Effort

The group got to Paris where Alexander celebrated his 16th birthday on February 9, 1850. Prince Alexander took fencing lessons and got better at speaking French during their stay.

The princes met French President Louis-Napoleon at the Tuileries palace, and Alexander wrote about Napoleon’s slight bow when they met.

After three months of talks, Judd failed to get a treaty with France or money for the 1849 attack.

London Welcomed the Hawaiian Royals with Open Arms

After Paris, the group went to London in spring 1850. The princes met Prince Albert and Lord Palmerstone and got a warm welcome from British nobles.

Queen Victoria stayed out of sight while waiting for the birth of her seventh child, Prince Arthur, so the princes talked with Prince Albert instead.

The British government seemed to care about Hawaii’s complaints against Admiral Tromelin, giving the group hope for better results than in France.

America Became the Final Stop Before Heading Home

In May 1850, the royal brothers got on a ship in England to sail back to the United States. The group planned a bigger American tour before going home.

They traveled through northeastern states visiting major cities and seeing American culture up close.

The princes reached Michigan in mid-June 1850 as part of their American tour, taking time to relax after months of serious diplomatic work.

A Peaceful Island Retreat Offered a Break from Politics

On June 18, 1850, Prince Alexander and Prince Lot enjoyed a picnic on Apple Island in Michigan’s Orchard Lake with friends.

The 35-acre island, formed during the last ice age, belonged to James Galloway who bought it in 1827. Native Americans called the area “apple place” and visited the island for centuries before white settlers came.

The island gave the princes a peaceful break with its mix of land and water, located near Pontiac and away from their diplomatic duties.

An Ox Created a Memorable Moment for the Future Kings

During the picnic, an ox walked into their gathering on Apple Island. The animal ate one woman’s bonnet, causing a funny break in the royal outing.

Prince Alexander wrote about this funny moment in his travel journal, which he kept during their year-long journey.

This surprise gave the princes a fun break from the serious diplomatic work that filled most of their travels and became one of the most memorable stories from their American visit.

Hawaii Welcomed Their Princes Home After a Year Abroad

The Hawaiian group finished their American tour through summer 1850. They left the United States and sailed across the Pacific Ocean back to Hawaii.

On September 9, 1850, they returned to Honolulu after exactly one year away from home.

Though Judd failed with France, he got treaties with the United States, Britain, and Denmark, partly meeting their goal to secure international protection of Hawaiian freedom.

Alexander Ruled Hawaii for Eight Years as Kamehameha IV

When King Kamehameha III died in 1854, 20-year-old Prince Alexander took over. He became Kamehameha IV on January 11, 1855, as Hawaii’s fourth king.

Alexander married Emma Rooke in 1856, and they had one son, Prince Albert, who died in 1862 at age four.

Kamehameha IV worked to limit American influence and start the Anglican church in Hawaii before dying November 30, 1863, at just 29 years old, his teenage diplomatic experiences shaping how he dealt with foreign powers.

The Older Brother Became the Last Kamehameha King

Prince Lot succeeded his younger brother as Kamehameha V in 1863. He ruled from 1863 to 1872 with the motto “Onipa’a” meaning immovable, firm, or steadfast.

Lot worked to strengthen Hawaiian nationalism and resist growing American pressure for annexation. He died on December 11, 1872, on his 42nd birthday, ending the Kamehameha dynasty’s direct rule of Hawaii.

The diplomatic mission he undertook as a 19-year-old prince helped prepare him for the challenges of protecting Hawaiian sovereignty during his reign.

Visiting Apple Island, Michigan

You can visit Apple Island during the annual tours held the second weekend in June, organized by the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society.

Tours start at Orchard Lake Museum at 3951 Orchard Lake Road.

Tickets cost $25 for adults and $15 for kids and seniors, sold first-come first-served on event day.

You’ll take a bus to the boat launch, then ride pontoon boats that leave every 30 minutes from 10am-3:40pm for self-paced island tours.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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