When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of being a princess and living in a huge, grand palace. (Specifically, I wanted to marry Prince William and live in Buckingham Palace... A girl can dream, right?) Although that dream will never come to fruition, I did have the fortune of envisioning life as a royal during a recent visit to Iolani Palace, the only existing royal palace on U.S. soil. 

Having not visited Iolani Palace since I was a fourth grader at Manoa Elementary School (and really all I could remember from that visit was eating lunch on the Palace grounds - sad, I know), I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  From the koa wood fixtures, valuable vases and art pieces given to the monarchs from dignitaries from around the world, lavish ballrooms, and elegant furniture pieces, I was impressed by the grandeur that the Palace still expressed, as well as the modern appliances (well, modern for the 1800s) found throughout the residence.  

Upon entering the Palace, our lovely tour guide, Zita Cup Choy, asked us to envision ourselves arriving at the Palace as invited guests of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani.  Throughout our tour, I tried to imagine myself in an elegant, sweeping ball gown, enjoying a seven-course meal in the State Dining Room then dancing the night away in the crimson and gold Throne Room.

Despite the magnificence of the Palace, it is also laced with a sad history as it was where Queen Liliuokalani was unjustly imprisoned during the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.   I was saddened when Zita told us stories of Queen Liliuokalani's life under house arrest, unable to receive visitors or leave the Palace grounds.

Iolani Palace is definitely a must-visit for locals and visitors alike.  It offers glimpses into the lives of Hawaii's monarchs and reflects an important time in Hawaii's history.  www.iolanipalace.org 

-- MLT