Hawaiian independence group occupies grounds of former royal palace

(CNN) - A group of native Hawaiians occupied the grounds of the old Hawaiian monarchy's royal residence Wednesday, vowing to stay and do the business of the kingdom's government.

"It is through a greater realm than ours" that the group took this action, said Mahealani Kahau, elected leader of the group, called Hawaiian Kingdom Government. "Today and every day, we will be here to assume our role."

The group is one of several in Hawaii that reject statehood and seek to return to the constitutional monarchy that effectively ended in 1893 when a group of politicians, businessmen and sugar planters - aided by the U.S. minister to Hawaii - overthrew the kingdom's government.

The monarchist groups say that the kingdom was overthrown and annexed into the United States illegally.