Royal School (Hawaii)

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The Royal School was founded in 1839 by King Kamehameha III of Hawaii as a boarding school to educate the children of the Hawaiian royalty or ali'i whom are eligible to succeed. The original name of the school was Chiefs' Children's School. It was once located at where the ʻIolani Barracks stand now.

It was run by Protestant missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke. However, it is not Punahou School, which was also run by Protestant missionaries. It was a long, two story frame building with a large dining room and separate sleeping quarters for the children and for the Cooke family. There was also the New England parlor, furnished with handmade and treasured frniture sent from home, and with much brought from China. It resembled nothing Hawaiian in its appearance nor its atmosphere. The ali'i were taught how to act like Americans and to speak like Americans. Missionary children were also allowed to attend.

In 1848 the school decline as some of the children graduate or married, for example Moses who left school in 1847 to live with his father and died in 1848 in the measle epidemic and Jane who married Mr. Jasper. It was moved to its present location in 1850 and became a day school for the ali'i instead of a boarding school.

It is now a public elementary school, Royal Elementary School, and the oldest school on the island of O'ahu. It now serves grades K-5.