ʻIolani Palace receives $500,000 gift from Veronica Kawānanakoa

The Friends of ʻIolani Palace has received a $500,000 gift from Veronica Kawānanakoa, wife and partner of 25 years of the late Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa. 

The initial gift from Veronica Kawānanakoa’s personal funds will establish the Kawānanakoa Legacy Room as part of ʻIolani Palace’s Basement Galleries Project. Additionally, a portion will be used to pay the Palace’s electricity bill, which the Princess subsidized for many years. Another portion of the gift is reserved to fund and seed a reserve study to identify potential maintenance and repair issues the Palace will face in the future. 

An additional personal gift of over $250,000 has also been established by Veronica Kawānanakoa through the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and is earmarked for ‘Iolani Palace and other charitable purposes.

“We are incredibly grateful for Veronica’s personal commitment to provide ongoing support to The Friends of ‘Iolani Palace in ways that have long been important to Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa,” said Paula Akana, executive director for The Friends of ‘Iolani Palace. “Through these personal gifts, Princess Abigail’s legacy and her commitment to supporting ʻIolani Palace and Hawaiian culture will live on.”

Princess Abigail passed away on December 11, 2022, at the age of 96. She was the eldest granddaughter of Prince David Kawānanakoa. Princess Abigail was also the longtime president of The Friends of ‘Iolani Palace, an organization created by her mother to restore, protect, and preserve the rich history of ‘Iolani Palace.