Honolulu –
Abigail Kaw─ünanakoa, the so-called last Hawaiian princess whose lineage included the royal family that once ruled the islands and an Irish businessman who became one of Hawaii’s largest landowners, died on Sunday. She was 96.
She held no formal title but was a living reminder of Hawaii’s monarchy and a symbol of Hawaiian national identity that endured after the kingdom was overthrown by American businessmen in 1893.
She funded various causes from her $215 million estate over the years, including scholarships for Native Hawaiian students and maintaining ╩╗Iolani Palace — America’s only royal residence where the Hawaiian monarchy dwelled but now serves mostly as a museum.
