At a young age, he inherited the landholdings of his father and his adoptive grandfather including Huliheʻe Palace, but the prince died under mysterious circumstances before his seventeenth birthday.

[4][5] His father was the biological son of Prime Minister Kalanimoku, who was called The Iron Cable of Hawaii because of his political savvy and military prowess.

[9][10] During his infancy, he was raised in a large hale pili (thatched house) named Auanakeo, which stood outside the Huliheʻe Palace, the principal residence of Leleiohoku's hānai (adoptive) father Kuakini, who was the Governor of Hawaii Island.

[15][16][17] During his youth, the prince was often found on the parade ground of the old Honolulu Fort, instructing his friends while they were drilling as boy scouts.

[9][10] In January 1850, a correspondent of the American newspaper Rochester Democrat & Chronicle in Honolulu gave a description of the royal children and his impression of Kīnaʻu (the only he mentioned by name): The young princes and children of the royal family are taught to speak English, and learn very rapidly; indeed little John Pitt, a son of the same name, speaks it as fluently as any American boy of his age.

[28] After completing his education, Kīnaʻu served as aide-de-camp to King Kamehameha IV, and in his lifetime, he was considered "a very handsome young man".

It was reported that "it was believed by large proportion of the native population of the island, that Pele had thrown forth the lava stream in special honor of his arrival".

[2][27] Heartbroken over the loss of her husband and son, Keʻelikōlani kept his lead coffin in her house for weeks, with mourners chanting and reciting the traditional Hawaiian kanikau (poetic dirges) night and day.

[34][10] On November 24, the remains of the prince were transported back to Oahu, on board the schooler Kaluna, for a proper burial suited for his rank.

[35][36] The state funeral procession occurred on December 27, and was attended by thousands of natives, foreign residents and visitors including the royal family and members of the government.

[31][37][38] Russian traveler Aleksei Vysheslavtsev, who arrived in Honolulu days before, latter wrote down a detail account of the events in Ocherki perom i karandashom, iz krugosvetnogo plavaniya (Sketches in Pen and Pencil from a Voyage around the World).

[39] A contradictory report by Scottish traveling performer John Henry Anderson described an earlier funeral service for the prince which was held at Kawaiahaʻo Church on Sunday, November 6.

[9][26][45] These lands along with subsequent inheritances that Keʻelikōlani would receive over her lifetime later became part of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate which funds the Kamehameha Schools to this day.