[2] Keliʻiahonui was born May 13, 1869, at Kaʻalaʻa at the mouth of the Pauoa Valley, in Honolulu, on the old homestead of his aunt Queen Kapiʻolani.

On February 10, 1883, Keliʻiahonui was granted by letters patent the title of Prince and style of His Royal Highness by King Kalākaua along with his mother, brothers and aunt.

[13] While attending school in San Mateo, Edward and his brothers would travel south to the Pacific seashore at Santa Cruz.

[14] The historic first was reported on July 20, 1885, in the Santa Cruz Daily, "The young Hawaiian Princes were in the water enjoying it hugely and giving interesting exhibitions of surf board swimming as practiced in their native land.

He died of typhoid fever at ʻIolani Palace shortly after arriving home on September 21, 1887, aged eighteen.