New Zealand's Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Ties the Knot with Longtime Partner

New Zealand's former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, married her longtime partner, Clarke Gayford, in a private ceremony on Saturday. This long-awaited event finally took place after they had to cancel their earlier wedding plans due to the strict Covid-19 controls that Ardern had imposed on the country. Ardern, age 43, and Gayford, age 47, became engaged in May 2019 and had originally planned to marry in early 2022. However, their plans were put on hold due to Ardern's proactive approach to the pandemic, which successfully kept the number of virus-related deaths low in New Zealand.

She gained worldwide recognition for her progressive politics and leadership as prime minister from 2017 to January of last year. Ardern, one of only two female national leaders to have a baby, even brought her daughter to a United Nations meeting.

The ceremony occurred at Craggy Range Winery in Hawkes Bay, located on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, approximately 310 km (190 miles) north of the capital Wellington, according to a spokesperson for Ardern.

Official images captured Ardern and Gayford's joyous exchange of vows. Ardern looked radiant in a white halter neck dress, complemented by Gayford's dapper black suit. The intimate ceremony was attended by approximately 50 to 75 guests, according to news site Stuff.

On October 6, 2022, in Auckland, New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addressed the media at a player engagement event for the Rugby World Cup 2021 at Northland Rugby Union. The event was captured in a photo by Fiona Goodall/World Rugby/Getty Images.

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Among the guests was Arderns successor as prime minister, Chris Hipkins, the current opposition leader, the New Zealand Herald said.

Hawkes Bay is home to a number of internationally known wineries and is an important horticultural area.

Ardern for the past six months has been undertaking three fellowships at Harvard University.

She serves as a trustee for the Prince William's Earthshot Prize and is a special envoy for the Christchurch Call, a network dedicated to eradicating terrorist and violent extremist content from the internet. The initiative was established in response to a tragic attack on Muslims, and Ardern's compassionate reaction received widespread praise.

During her last address in parliament, Ardern made a heartfelt plea to her partner, New Zealand television presenter Gayford, saying "Let's finally tie the knot." The couple's five-year-old daughter, Neve, completes their family.