the first was king tuheitia's mother.mountain. the former king — who used to be a truck driver — died last week at the age of sixty—nine following heart surgery. he had been recovering from heart surgery and had also been celebrating 18 years since he had become king. that's all for now — stay with bbc news. hello. we're expecting a real mix of weather over the next couple of days. for some northwestern parts of the uk, it's going to turn sunny and very warm, but further south for southern england and south wales, we're expecting some heavy rain. perhaps in one or two locations, a month's worth of rain injust a couple of days — that could cause some disruption. it's all because low pressure is continuing to swirl to the south of us, this band of rain here becoming quite slow moving, particularly, i think, across the southwest of england. but around that area of low pressure, we're drawing in some humid air, so further north and west with some sunshine it will feel very warm. now, during thursday, these southern parts of e

the first was king tuheitia's mother.rial on a sacred mountain. the former king — who used to be a truck driver — died last week at the age of 69 following heart surgery. let's get more on this, from mereana hond, she's a journalist from the taranaki tara—nakee iwi — a maori tribe. it must be an emotional time for you and your community as you mourn the king? how are you feeling today? it feeling incredibly emotional. 0ver these seven days, actually, farewelling our king. it is no small thing to lose again but he was just really starting to rise to prominence, leading all tribes at a time when we were under a lot of political and social pressure under this coalition government. the removal of the maori health authority, maori felt they have been targeted. king tuheitia stepped up and called for unity of maori tribes and he did that from the start of this year and we held many national meetings and then we lost him and that has been incredibly painful and if there has been fear and worry about where to now and then we have

a new maori monarch will be announced ahead of kiingi tuheitia's funeral.

kuini by m ori elders in an elaborate ceremony that was followed by the burial of her father kiingi tuheitiale, but acts as a unifying figure for maori communities. a flotilla of canoes carried the new queen's father for burial on a sacred mountain. bbc�*s sydney correspondent katy watson has more on the funeral ceremony of the late king. it was very elaborate. it was very emotional, as well. there were thousands of mourners who came for the ceremony. now, it started with the raising up of the queen. a bible was placed on her head. and it's the same bible that was used for the first ever maori king back in 1858. now, this kingitanga, the king's movement. it's a ceremonial position, the king or queen of the maori culture in in new zealand. created in 1858 to unite the maori tribes and prevent the loss of land in the face of british colonisation. so, the same bible that was used for the first king was used with the queen earlier today. and after that we saw a funeral cortege. we saw waka. the coffin was put on wakas, which are war canoes, and they were taken along the river. and then he was ta