November 05, 2024 09:01 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Pakistan's Lahore has become world's most polluted city with an AQI of 1900 on Sunday | Indian Army 'successfully completes' patrolling to a key point in Ladakh's Depsang region | US presidential election: Donald Trump ahead of Kamala Harris in swing states, poll survey predicts | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row | 'I strongly condemn Hindu temple attack, intimidation of our diplomats': PM Modi amid Canada row
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern gets engaged to beau Clarke Gayford

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern gets engaged to beau Clarke Gayford

| @indiablooms | 03 May 2019, 09:16 am

Wellington, May 3 (UNI): New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford have become engaged.

New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is engaged to her long-term partner Clarke Gayford, a spokesperson for the prime minister has confirmed.

It emerged that the couple had got engaged over the Easter weekend in Hawke’s Bay after Ardern was spotted wearing a diamond ring at an event at the Pike River mine on Friday, said a Guardian report.

Ardern and Gayford became a couple after he approached her about a constituency issue in her Auckland electorate of Mount Albert about five years ago.

In June last year the pair became parents to daughter Neve Te Aroha, making Ardern the second prime minister in history to give birth while in office. Gayford, who is referred to as the “first bloke” in New Zealand, took time off his job as host of a fishing TV show to care for the child.

He has previously said his responsibilities in the relationship include making sure Ardern doesn’t have lipstick on her teeth, reminding her to take her vitamins and eat proper dinners when she can.

In January BBC television show Victoria Derbyshire questioned Ardern’s feminist credentials, when pressing her on why she wouldn’t take the initiative and propose to Gayford.

The prime minister laughed at the awkward question, seemingly surprised, and then answered: “No I would not ask, no.”

“You’re a feminist?” replied Derbyshire.

“Oh absolutely, absolutely I am a feminist” said Ardern.

“But no, I want to put him through the pain and torture of having to agonise about that question himself, that’s letting him off the hook, absolutely not.”

Political commentator Bryce Edwards said Ardern’s 2018 pregnancy helped boost her popularity and a wedding before the 2020 election would help too.

On social media New Zealanders offered their congratulations to the couple, including opposition leader Simon Bridges and British high commissioner Laura Clarke. 

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
Xi Jinping, Putin in Russia 22 Mar 2023, 02:56 pm
Related Videos