Spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand

The spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand, or partner of the prime minister of New Zealand (when unmarried), is a role that has several unofficial duties. An unpaid position that has no official responsibilities, the role has gained significance since the 1960s, with the prime minister's spouse acting as a key national figure on social issues and a prominent symbol of government. She or he is the hostess or host of Premier House, the official residence of the prime minister.

Partner of the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Currently in role Clarke Gayford Since October 26, 2017
Residence	Premier House
Inaugural holder	Elizabeth Sewell
Formation	7 May 1856

The 23rd Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage, was a bachelor during his term, but otherwise, until the tenure of the 36th Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, the post had always been filled by a woman; Burton Shipley was Jenny Shipley's husband. The current Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, is unmarried; her partner (since May 2019, fiancé) is radio personality Clarke Gayford.[1]

Current

The current domestic partner of the prime minister of New Zealand is Clarke Gayford; his partner, Jacinda Ardern, became the Prime Minister of New Zealand on 26 October 2017.

There are currently eight living spouses of former prime ministers of New Zealand:

• Glen Rowling (wife of Bill Rowling)
• Margaret Palmer (wife of Geoffrey Palmer)
• Yvonne Moore (wife of Mike Moore)
• Joan Bolger (wife of Jim Bolger)
• Burton Shipley (husband of Jenny Shipley)
• Peter Davis (husband of Helen Clark)
• Bronagh Key (wife of John Key)
• Mary English (wife of Bill English)

The most recent spouse of a New Zealand prime minister to die was Thea Muldoon (widow of Robert Muldoon), on 24 February 2015.

Role

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.

Official recognition

Some prime ministers' spouses have received official recognition for their services to the community:

• Christina Massey, Norma Holyoake, Ruth Kirk and Thea Muldoon were given damehoods (DBE)

Muldoon was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence.[2]

List of spouses

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 unknown) 8 February 1918 – 30 April 2013[7] (aged unknown)	31 August 1974 – 6 September 1974	6 days	Watt m. unknown Acting
30		Glen Elna Rowling (Lady Rowling) (née Reeves) bef. 1933 (aged around 87–88)	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 around 70–71)	26 July 1984 – 8 August 1989	5 years and 13 days	Lange m. 1968
33		Margaret Palmer (Lady Palmer) (née Hinchcliff) bef. 1947 (aged around 73–74)	8 August 1989 – 4 September 1990	1 year and 27 days	Palmer m. 1963
34		Yvonne Moore (née Dereany) bef. 1957 (aged around 63–64)	4 September 1990 – 2 November 1990	1 month and 29 days	Moore m. 1975
35		Joan Maureen Bolger (née Riddell) bef. 1945 (aged around 75–76)	2 November 1990 – 8 December 1997	7 years, 1 month and 6 days	Bolger m. 1963
36		Burton Shipley bef. 1954 (aged around 66–67)	8 December 1997 – 10 December 1999	2 years and 2 days	Shipley m. 1972
37		Peter Byard Davis 25 April 1947 (aged 73)	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 57)	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 58–59)	12 December 2016 – 26 October 2017	10 months and 14 days	English m. unknown
40		Clarke Gayford^α 24 October 1976[9] (aged 44)	26 October 2017 – Incumbent	3 years, 3 months and 9 days*	Ardern domestic partner

^α Domestic partner; engaged since May 2019.[1]

* Incumbent's length of tenure last updated: 4 February 2021.

See also

• First Lady
• Spouse of the Governor-General of New Zealand

References

1. "Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford engaged". The New Zealand Herald. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
2. "Dame Thea Muldoon dies". Radio New Zealand News. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
3. "Person – National Portrait Gallery".
4. Sale, Charles. "Daniel Pollen grave monument details".
5. Zealand, National Library of New. "Papers Past – DEATHS. (New Zealand Herald, 2 December 1903)".
6. "Marshall, Margaret, 1917–2004". National Library. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
7. admin (1 May 2013). "Irene WATT Obituary – Auckland, Auckland".
8. Chateau, Carroll du (7 December 2001). "The English Doctor". The New Zealand Herald.
9. "The spotlight on Jacinda Ardern's TV presenter partner Clarke Gayford". stuff. 2 August 2017.