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Spouse of the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Incumbent
Amanda Luxon
since 27 November 2023
ResidencePremier House
Inaugural holderElizabeth Kittoe
Formation7 May 1856

The spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand is the wife or husband of the New Zealand prime minister. The position is known as the partner of the prime minister of New Zealand when the prime minister is unmarried but is in a relationship. They are the hostess or host of Premier House. It is not an official office and, as such, they are not given a salary or official duties. When Henry Sewell became the country's first premier in 1856, his wife, Elizabeth Kittoe, became the first spouse 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 never married to her partner Clarke Gayford during her tenure from 2017 to 2023. 41st prime minister, Chris Hipkins, is married, but has been separated from his wife, Jade Marie Hipkins, since 2022.[1]

Current

The current spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand is Amanda Luxon, as her husband became prime minister on 27 November 2023.[2]

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 with a damehood:

Muldoon was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence.[3]

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
01.1 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[4] – 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[5][6] – 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 Portrait of Eliza Grey 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 Portrait of Anna Stout 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) Portrait of Anna Stout 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
01.1 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
01.1 Vacant 6 December 1935
–
27 March 1940 		4 years, 3 months and 21 days Savage
Bachelor
24 Portrait of Janet Fraser 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
01.1 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[7] – 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[8]
(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 around 90–91)
 6 September 1974
–
12 December 1975 		1 year, 3 months and 6 days Rowling
m. 1951
31 Portrait of Thea Muldoon (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 73–74)
 26 July 1984
–
8 August 1989 		5 years and 13 days Lange
m. 1968
33 Portrait of Margaret Palmer Margaret Palmer (Lady Palmer) (née Hinchcliff)
bef. 1947
(aged around 76–77)
 8 August 1989
–
4 September 1990 		1 year and 27 days Palmer
m. 1963
34 Yvonne Moore (née Dereany)
bef. 1957
(aged around 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 around 78–79)
 2 November 1990
–
8 December 1997 		7 years, 1 month and 6 days Bolger
m. 1963
36 Burton Shipley
bef. 1954
(aged around 69–70)
 8 December 1997
–
10 December 1999 		2 years and 2 days Shipley
m. 1972
37 Portrait of Peter Davis Peter Byard Davis
25 April 1947
(aged 76)
 10 December 1999
–
19 November 2008 		8 years, 11 months and 9 days Clark
m. 1981
38 Portrait of Bronagh Key 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[9]
(aged 61–62)
 12 December 2016
–
26 October 2017 		10 months and 14 days English
m. unknown
40 Portrait of Clarke Gayford Clarke Gayfordα
partner
24 October 1976[10]
(aged 47)
 26 October 2017
–
25 January 2023 		5 years, 2 months and 30 days Ardern
m. 2024
41 Jade Marie Hipkins (née Paul) 25 January 2023
–
27 November 2023 		10 months and 2 days Hipkins
m. 2020
42 Amanda Luxon (née Rae) 27 November 2023
–
Present 		4 months and 1 day* Luxon
m. 1994

^α Domestic partner; engaged since May 2019.[11]

* Incumbent's length of tenure last updated: 27 March 2024.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hipkins addresses marriage split as he asks for family's privacy". 1 News. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Amanda Luxon talks marriage, being in the public eye - and those biceps". The New Zealand Herald. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Dame Thea Muldoon dies". Radio New Zealand News. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Person – National Portrait Gallery".
  5. ^ Sale, Charles. "Daniel Pollen grave monument details".
  6. ^ Zealand, National Library of New. "Papers Past – DEATHS. (New Zealand Herald, 2 December 1903)".
  7. ^ "Marshall, Margaret, 1917–2004". National Library. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  8. ^ admin (1 May 2013). "Irene WATT Obituary – Auckland, Auckland". Legacy.com.
  9. ^ Chateau, Carroll du (7 December 2001). "The English Doctor". The New Zealand Herald.
  10. ^ "The spotlight on Jacinda Ardern's TV presenter partner Clarke Gayford". stuff. 2 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford engaged". The New Zealand Herald. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
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