In December 1843, Simpson wrote to William Richards, an American advisor and envoy of King Kamehameha III, recommending Charles Hopkins as an official in the Hawaiian monarchy which had recently adopted a Western style constitution and government and was in need of foreign councillors.

[3] He initially served minor posts as a government clerk and a police magistrate while he learned the Hawaiian language.

[4][7] In 1851, Hopkins became a land agent and private secretary to Kamehameha III, who called him "Hopekini", a Hawaiian variant of his surname.

[9] From 1865 to 1866, Hopkins traveled with Queen Dowager Emma (widow of Kamehameha IV who died in 1863) on her trip to Europe and the United States to fundraise for the Anglican mission in Hawaii.

[13] The group also traveled through France and Italy and in Paris, Queen Emma had a private audience with French Emperor Napoleon III[14] at Tuileries Palace.

[10][15] On their return to Hawaii, they visited the United States and was honored by an official reception by President Andrew Johnson at the White House.

[18][20] The Euro-American community, especially the American Protestant missionaries, disapproved of Hopkins close association with the Hawaiians and his private life.

[27] He served one terms as police justice of Oahu and was later Hawaiian interpreter for the legislature and circuit courts of the Territory of Hawaii.