The Māori King's council passed over the son who had stood in for him and named his youngest child queen at his funeral

The Māori King movement installed Pōtatau Te Wherowhero as the first king in 1858. The role is not automatically inherited, but every monarch since has been a direct descendant of the one before. Kiingi Tūheitia died on 30 August 2024. His eldest son, Whatumoana Paki, had long been prepared to succeed and had acted for his father during his illness. The Tekau-mā-rua, the Kīngitanga council of 12 representatives of iwi, met with other leaders in wānanga over several days. It is not known whether Tūheitia had named a preference. On 5 September 2024, during his tangihanga at Tūrangawaewae Marae, the council announced its choice: his youngest child and only daughter, Ngā wai hono i te pō Paki, aged 27. Council chairman Che Wilson said, "we have chosen Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō as our new Monarch." She was installed the same day in the Te Whakawahinga ceremony; Archbishop Don Tamihere anointed her with oils. She became the eighth monarch and the second queen, after her grandmother Te Atairangikaahu. She took charge of the Kīngitanga collection of more than 3,000 taonga.