This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2024) |
Spouse of the Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
---|---|
Incumbent since 27 November 2023Amanda Luxon | |
Residence | Premier House |
Inaugural holder | Elizabeth Kittoe |
Formation | 7 May 1856 |
The spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand is the wife or husband of the New Zealand prime minister. It is not an official office and, as such, is not given a salary or official duties, but the prime minister's spouse may be expected to act as hostess or host of Premier House. The current prime minister, Christopher Luxon, is married to Amanda Luxon.
When Henry Sewell became the country's first premier in 1856, his wife, Elizabeth Kittoe, became the first person to fill the role. The first husband to the prime minister was Burton Shipley, Jenny Shipley's husband, in 1997. The 23rd prime minister, Michael Joseph Savage, was a bachelor during his term, and prime minister Jacinda Ardern was in an unmarried relationship with Clarke Gayford during her tenure from 2017 to 2023.
The current spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand is Amanda Luxon, as her husband became prime minister on 27 November 2023. [1]
The prime minister's spouse has no official duties. Some earlier spouses stayed mainly at home and took little part in public life.
However, most recent prime ministers' spouses have been involved in charities or community organisations, working to raise public awareness, funds, and support for a range of causes. They generally assist their partners in political campaigns, and participate in official duties that come with the position, such as hosting foreign dignitaries, and, in particular, entertaining the spouses of dignitaries; accompanying the prime minister on national and international trips; and attending conferences and functions. They have attended the opening of Parliament; hosted visitors at Premier House; visited Buckingham Palace, the White House, or the Japanese Imperial Palace; and been present at royal coronations and conferences.
Some prime ministers' spouses have received official recognition for their services to the community with a damehood:
Muldoon was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence. [2]
No. | Portrait | Spouse (Maiden name) | Tenure | Length of tenure | Prime Minister |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Elizabeth Sewell (née Kittoe) – 1880 (aged 61) | 7 May 1856 – 20 May 1856 | 13 days | Sewell m. 1850 | |
2 | Sarah Fox (Lady Fox) (née Halcomb) – 23 June 1892 (aged 76) | 20 May 1856 – 2 June 1856 | 13 days | Fox m. 1842 | |
3 | Emily Stafford (née Charlotte) February 1827 – 18 April 1857 (aged 29) | 2 June 1856 – 18 April 1857† | 10 months and 16 days | Stafford m. 1846 | |
Vacant | 18 April 1857 – 5 December 1859 | 2 years, 7 months and 17 days | Stafford Widower | ||
4 | Mary Stafford (Lady Stafford) (née Bartley) 1835 – 1899 (aged 64) | 5 December 1859 – 12 July 1861 | 1 year, 7 months and 7 days | Stafford m. 1859 | |
(2) | Sarah Fox (Lady Fox) (née Halcomb) 1816 – 23 June 1892 (aged 76) | 12 July 1861 – 6 August 1862 | 1 year and 25 days | Fox m. 1842 | |
5 | Mary Domett (née George) unknown – 1887 (aged unknown) | 6 August 1862 – 30 October 1863 | 1 year, 2 months and 24 days | Domett m. 1856 | |
6 | Jane Augusta Whitaker (Lady Whitaker) (née Griffith) 1822 – 3 September 1884 (aged 62) | 30 October 1863 – 24 November 1864 | 1 year and 25 days | Whitaker m. 1843 | |
7 | Filumena Mary Anne Weld (Lady Weld) (née Lisle Phillipps) c. 1828 [3] – 1903 (around aged 75) | 24 November 1864 – 16 October 1865 | 10 months and 22 days | Weld m. 1859 | |
(4) | Mary Stafford (Lady Stafford) (née Bartley) 1835 – 1899 (aged 64) | 16 October 1865 – 28 June 1869 | 3 years, 8 months and 12 days | Stafford m. 1859 | |
(2) | Sarah Fox (Lady Fox) (née Halcomb) 1816 – 23 June 1892 (aged 76) | 28 June 1869 – 10 September 1872 | 3 years, 2 months and 13 days | Fox m. 1842 | |
(4) | Mary Stafford (Lady Stafford) (née Bartley) 1835 – 1899 (aged 64) | 10 September 1872 – 11 October 1872 | 1 month and 1 day | Stafford m. 1859 | |
8 | Lydia Waterhouse (née Giles) 1827 – 25 January 1910 (aged 83) | 11 October 1872 – 3 March 1873 | 4 months and 20 days | Waterhouse m. 1848 | |
(2) | Sarah Fox (Lady Fox) (née Halcomb) 1816 – 23 June 1892 (aged 76) | 3 March 1873 – 8 April 1873 | 1 month and 5 days | Fox m. 1842 | |
9 | Mary Vogel (Lady Vogel) (née Clayton) 18 February 1849 – 12 August 1933 (aged 84) | 8 April 1873 – 6 July 1875 | 2 years, 2 months and 28 days | Vogel m. 1867 | |
10 | Jane Pollen (née Henderson) 1828 [4] [5] – 1903 (aged 74–75) | 6 July 1875 – 15 February 1876 | 7 months and 9 days | Pollen m. 1846 | |
(9) | Mary Vogel (Lady Vogel) (née Clayton) 18 February 1849 – 12 August 1933 (aged 84) | 15 February 1876 – 1 September 1876 | 6 months and 17 days | Vogel m. 1867 | |
11 | Ann Elizabeth Atkinson (Lady Atkinson) (née Smith) 1838 – 1919 (aged 80–81) | 1 September 1876 – 13 October 1877 | 1 year, 1 month and 12 days | Atkinson m. 1867 | |
12 | Elizabeth Lucy "Eliza" Grey (Lady Grey) (née Spencer) 1823 – 4 September 1898 (aged 74–75) | 13 October 1877 – 8 October 1879 | 1 year, 11 months and 25 days | Grey m. 1839 | |
13 | Rose Anne Hall (Lady Hall) (née Dryden) 22 December 1828 – 12 May 1900 (aged 71) | 8 October 1879 – 21 April 1882 | 2 years, 6 months and 13 days | Hall m. 1861 | |
(6) | Jane Augusta Whitaker (Lady Whitaker) (née Griffith) 1822 – 3 September 1884 (aged 62) | 21 April 1882 – 25 September 1883 | 1 year, 5 months and 4 days | Whitaker m. 1843 | |
(11) | Ann Elizabeth Atkinson (Lady Atkinson) (née Smith) 1838 – 1919 (aged 80–81) | 25 September 1883 – 16 August 1884 | 10 months and 22 days | Atkinson m. 1867 | |
14 | Anna Paterson Stout (Lady Stout) (née Logan) 29 September 1858 – 10 May 1931 (aged 72) | 16 August 1884 – 28 August 1884 | 12 days | Stout m. 1876 | |
(11) | Ann Elizabeth Atkinson (Lady Atkinson) (née Smith) 1838 – 1919 (aged 80–81) | 28 August 1884 – 3 September 1884 | 6 days | Atkinson m. 1867 | |
(14) | Anna Paterson Stout (Lady Stout) (née Logan) 29 September 1858 – 10 May 1931 (aged 72) | 3 September 1884 – 8 October 1887 | 3 years, 1 month and 5 days | Stout m. 1876 | |
(11) | Ann Elizabeth Atkinson (Lady Atkinson) (née Smith) 1838 – 1919 (aged 80–81) | 8 October 1887 – 24 January 1891 | 3 years, 3 months and 16 days | Atkinson m. 1867 | |
15 | Ellen Ballance (née Anderson) 1846 – 14 June 1935 (aged 88–89) | 24 January 1891 – 27 April 1893 | 2 years, 3 months and 3 days | Ballance m. 1870 | |
16 | Louisa Jane Seddon (née Spotswood) 28 May 1851 – 9 July 1931 (aged 80) | 27 April 1893 – 10 June 1906 | 13 years, 1 month and 14 days | Seddon m. 1869 | |
17 | Rosalind Lucy Hall-Jones (Lady Hall-Jones) (née Purss) 30 May 1858 – 13 October 1942 (aged 84) | 10 June 1906 – 6 August 1906 | 1 month and 27 days | Hall-Jones m. 1877 | |
18 | Theresa Dorothea Ward (Lady Ward) (née de Smidt) 1866 – 1927 (aged 60–61) | 6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912 | 5 years, 7 months and 22 days | Ward m. 1883 | |
19 | Ida Henrietta Mackenzie (Lady Mackenzie) (née Nantes) 23 December 1850 – 28 April 1926 (aged 75) | 28 March 1912 – 10 July 1912 | 3 months and 12 days | Mackenzie m. 1884 | |
20 | (Dame) Christina Allan Massey (née Paul) 11 January 1863 – 19 April 1932 (aged 69) | 10 July 1912 – 10 May 1925 | 12 years and 10 months | Massey m. 1882 | |
21 | Caroline Bell (Lady Bell) (née Robinson) 1853 – 8 September 1935 (aged 81–82) | 10 May 1925 – 30 May 1925 | 20 days | Bell m. 1878 | |
22 | Marguerite Grace "Marjorie" Coates (née Coles) 3 October 1892 – 1973 (aged 80–81) | 30 May 1925 – 10 December 1928 | 3 years, 6 months and 10 days | Coates m. 1914 | |
Vacant | 10 December 1928 – 28 May 1930 | 1 year, 5 months and 18 days | Ward Widower | ||
23 | Emma Serena Forbes (née Gee) 20 August 1877 – 9 February 1961 (aged 83) | 28 May 1930 – 6 December 1935 | 5 years, 6 months and 8 days | Forbes m. 1898 | |
Vacant | 6 December 1935 – 27 March 1940 | 4 years, 3 months and 21 days | Savage Bachelor | ||
24 | Janet Fraser (née Munro, formerly Kemp) 31 January 1883 – 7 March 1945 (aged 62) | 27 March 1940 – 7 March 1945† | 4 years, 11 months and 8 days | Fraser m. 1919 | |
Vacant | 7 March 1945 – 13 December 1949 | 4 years, 9 months and 6 days | Fraser Widower | ||
25 | Florence Beatrice Holland (Lady Holland) (née Drayton) 26 October 1894 – 1976 (aged 81–82) | 13 December 1949 – 20 September 1957 | 7 years, 9 months and 7 days | Holland m. 1920 | |
26 | (Dame) Norma Janet Holyoake (née Ingram) 7 March 1909 – 18 December 1984 (aged 75) | 20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957 | 2 months and 22 days | Holyoake m. 1934 | |
27 | Lottie May "Lotty" Nash (Lady Nash) (née Eaton) 17 March 1880 – 12 December 1961 (aged 81) | 12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960 | 3 years | Nash m. 1906 | |
(26) | (Dame) Norma Janet Holyoake (née Ingram) 7 March 1909 – 18 December 1984 (aged 75) | 12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972 | 11 years, 1 month and 26 days | Holyoake m. 1934 | |
28 | Jessie Margaret Marshall (Lady Marshall) (née Livingston) 17 January 1917 [6] – 2004 (aged 86–87) | 7 February 1972 – 8 December 1972 | 10 months and 1 day | Marshall m. 1944 | |
29 | (Dame) Lucy Ruth Kirk (née Miller) 28 April 1922 – 20 March 2000 (aged 77) | 8 December 1972 – 31 August 1974 | 1 year, 8 months and 23 days | Kirk m. 1943 | |
Irene Frances Watt (née Ray) 8 February 1918 – 30 April 2013 [7] (aged 95) | 31 August 1974 – 6 September 1974 | 6 days | Watt m. 1968 Acting | ||
30 | Glen Elna Rowling (Lady Rowling) (née Reeves) bef. 1933 (aged at least 90–91) | 6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975 | 1 year, 3 months and 6 days | Rowling m. 1951 | |
31 | (Dame) Thea Dale Muldoon (née Flyger) 13 March 1927 – 24 February 2015 (aged 87) | 12 December 1975 – 26 July 1984 | 8 years, 7 months and 14 days | Muldoon m. 1951 | |
32 | Naomi Joy Lange (née Crampton) bef. 1950 (aged at least 73–74) | 26 July 1984 – 8 August 1989 | 5 years and 13 days | Lange m. 1968 | |
33 | Margaret Palmer (Lady Palmer) (née Hinchcliff) bef. 1947 (aged at least 76–77) | 8 August 1989 – 4 September 1990 | 1 year and 27 days | Palmer m. 1963 | |
34 | Yvonne Moore (née Dereany) bef. 1957 (aged at least 66–67) | 4 September 1990 – 2 November 1990 | 1 month and 29 days | Moore m. 1975 | |
35 | Joan Maureen Bolger (née Riddell) bef. 1945 (aged at least 78–79) | 2 November 1990 – 8 December 1997 | 7 years, 1 month and 6 days | Bolger m. 1963 | |
36 | Burton Shipley bef. 1954 (aged at least 69–70) | 8 December 1997 – 10 December 1999 | 2 years and 2 days | Shipley m. 1972 | |
37 | Peter Byard Davis 25 April 1947 (aged 77) | 10 December 1999 – 19 November 2008 | 8 years, 11 months and 9 days | Clark m. 1981 | |
38 | Bronagh Irene Key (Lady Key) (née Dougan) 14 November 1963 (aged 60) | 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016 | 8 years and 23 days | Key m. 1984 | |
39 | Mary English (Lady English) (née Scanlon) c. 1962 [8] (aged 61–62) | 12 December 2016 – 26 October 2017 | 10 months and 14 days | English m. unknown | |
40 | Clarke Gayford α partner 24 October 1976 [9] (aged 47) | 26 October 2017 – 25 January 2023 | 5 years, 2 months and 30 days | Ardern m. 2024 | |
41 | Jade Marie Hipkins (née Paul) β | 25 January 2023 – 27 November 2023 | 10 months and 2 days | Hipkins m. 2020 | |
42 | Amanda Luxon | 27 November 2023 – Present | 10 months and 22 days* | Luxon m. 1994 | |
^α Domestic partner; engaged since May 2019. [10]
^β While remaining married, Chris and Jade Hipkins separated in 2022. [11]
* Incumbent's length of tenure last updated: 18 October 2024.
The prime minister of New Zealand is the head of government of New Zealand. The incumbent prime minister, Christopher Luxon, leader of the New Zealand National Party, took office on 27 November 2023.
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician who has served as the 13th and current deputy prime minister of New Zealand since November 2023 and leader of New Zealand First since its foundation by Peters in 1993. He was re-elected for a fifteenth time at the 2023 general election, having previously been a member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 1981, 1984 to 2008 and 2011 to 2020. Peters also serves as the 25th minister of foreign affairs and 8th Minister for Racing.
The Order of precedence in New Zealand is a guide to the relative seniority of constitutional office holders and certain others, to be followed, as appropriate at State and official functions. The previous order of precedence was revoked and Queen Elizabeth II approved the following Order of Precedence in New Zealand effective 20 September 2018:
Premier House is the official residence of the prime minister of New Zealand, located at 260 Tinakori Road, Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand.
Dame Thea Dale Muldoon was the wife of Robert Muldoon, who was the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. She was also known for her community service.
Christopher John Hipkins is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party since January 2023 and leader of the Opposition since November 2023. He was the 41st prime minister of New Zealand from January to November 2023, previously serving as the minister for the public service and minister for education from 2017 to 2023, and the minister for health and the COVID-19 response from 2020 to 2022. He has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Remutaka since the 2008 general election.
Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a former New Zealand politician who served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was a Labour member of Parliament (MP) as a list MP from 2008 to 2017, and for Mount Albert from 2017 to 2023.
Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro is a New Zealand public-health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has been serving as the 22nd governor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the first Māori woman and the third person of Māori descent to hold the office.
Dame Patricia Lee Reddy is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21st governor-general of New Zealand from 2016 to 2021.
Clarke Timothy Gayford is a New Zealand radio and television broadcaster, presenter of the fishing documentary show Fish of the Day. He is the husband of Jacinda Ardern, who was prime minister of New Zealand from October 2017 to January 2023.
The Sixth Labour Government governed New Zealand from 26 October 2017 to 27 November 2023. It was headed first by Jacinda Ardern and later by Chris Hipkins, as Labour Party leader and prime minister.
Paddles was a ginger and white polydactyl cat, owned by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford. Paddles had a profile on Twitter and in politics as "First Cat".
The Christchurch Call to Action Summit was a political summit initiated by then New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that took place on 15 May 2019 in Paris, France, two months after the Christchurch mosque shootings of 15 March 2019. Co-chaired by Ardern and President Emmanuel Macron of France, the summit aimed to "bring together countries and tech companies in an attempt to bring to an end the ability to use social media to organise and promote terrorism and violent extremism". World leaders and technology companies pledged to "eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online"; 17 countries originally signed the non-binding agreement, with another 31 countries following suit on 24 September the same year. The pledge consists of three sections or commitments: one for governments, one for online service providers, and one for the ways in which the two can work together.
Christopher Mark Luxon is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who has been serving as the 42nd prime minister of New Zealand since 2023, previously as leader of the Opposition from 2021 to 2023, and as leader of the National Party since 2021. He has been member of Parliament (MP) for Botany since 2020. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Air New Zealand from 2012 to 2019.
The 53rd New Zealand Parliament was a meeting of the legislature in New Zealand. It opened on 25 November 2020 following the 17 October 2020 general election, and dissolved on 8 September 2023 to trigger the next election. It consisted of 120 members of Parliament (MPs) with five parties represented: the Labour and Green parties, in government, and the National, Māori and ACT parties, in opposition. The Sixth Labour Government held a majority in this Parliament. Jacinda Ardern continued as prime minister until her resignation on 25 January 2023; she was succeeded by Chris Hipkins.
Camilla Vera Feslier Belich is a New Zealand lawyer, trade unionist and politician. She has been a Member of Parliament, representing the New Zealand Labour Party, since 2020.
The COVID-19 Protection Framework was a system used by the New Zealand Government during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. The three-tier traffic light system used vaccination and community transmission rates to determine the level of restrictions needed. It came into effect at 11:59 pm on 2 December 2021, replacing the four-tier alert level system, which used lockdowns. On 12 September 2022, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the traffic light system would be dropped at 11:59 pm that night.
The resignation of Jacinda Ardern as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party was announced on 19 January 2023, at a press conference given by Ardern at the War Memorial Centre in Napier, Hawke's Bay. Ardern, who had been in office since 2017, cited occupational burnout as the primary reason for her resignation. She stated that she "no longer had enough in the tank" to fulfil the demands of the premiership, and that she would not be seeking re-election at 2023 New Zealand general election. She also expressed hope that she would spend more time with her family, and that she had left behind a legacy that one "can be kind, but strong" and "your own kind of leader – one that knows when it’s time to go."