Prince William Presents Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Damehood: ‘Incredibly Honored’

Mar. 15, 2025

The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram

Ardern, who was in office from 2017 to 2023, was made a Dame Grand Commander of the New Zealand Order of Merit at Windsor Castle on Oct. 16 at an investiture ceremony that recognized other luminaries, as well. Speaking after the ceremony Wednesday, Ardern said receiving the damehood from the Prince of Wales, 42, had been “particularly special,” as the two have gotten to know one another over the years — most especially through their work on Prince William’s Earthshot Prize. Ardern serves as a trustee for William’s environmental initiative, a position appointed last April.

“@jacindaardernit was a privilege to present you with this deserved award at Windsor today!” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote on social media, further calling her “A friend, an extraordinary advocate for the environment and now a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.”

She donned a traditional Maori cloak, Korowai, which is worn during special ceremonies, after she was made a dame, theTelegraphreported.

When her damehood was announced, the former prime minister said she was “incredibly humbled” but “in two minds” about accepting the accolade.

Prince William and Jacinda Ardern at the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Oct. 16, 2024.The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram

The elected official got to know Prince William during her time leading the Commonwealth country of New Zealand, and spoke on his behalf at the inaugural Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in New York City in September 2022. The Prince of Wales was unable to attend the event following the death of his grandmotherQueen Elizabethdays before.

“As I was preparing my remarks today, I couldn’t help [but] reflect on Her late Majesty the Queen. She is someone who was focused, committed and demonstrated what could be achieved when you show fortitude and longevity," Ardernsaidon stage.

“We need all of those same characteristics to take on the environmental challenges ahead of us. But we’re also at a crossroads in this difficult journey, where it won’t just take our global collective will to create the scale of change required to turn around our environmental trajectory, it will also take innovation. The speed we need to move demands it,” she added.

Prince William created The Earthshot Prize in 2020 to promote impactful approaches to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, with plans to award Earthshot Prizes until 2030. Winners receive £1 million ($1.2 million) and support to scale their solutions, focused on reviving and repairing the land, air or sea, to size.

“It is an honour to welcome @jacindaardern to the @EarthshotPrize team. Her life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions, along with her experience as Prime Minister of New Zealand, will bring a rich infusion of new thinking to our mission,” Prince William said in a rare personal tweet at the time of Ardern’s appointment to the Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees, signing off with the initial “W,” signifying the message came from him personally.

Later in 2019, Meghan chose Ardern to appear as one of 15 women on the cover of the September issue ofBritish Voguefor its“Forces of Change” issue, which the Duchess of Sussex guest edited. Meghan, now 43, became the first guest editor of the September issue in the magazine’s 103-year history.

In 2022, Ardern wasone of the leaders selectedto be part of Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary seriesLive to Lead, which premiered that December on the heels of their six-part docuseriesHarry & Meghan.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their tour of New Zealand on Oct. 31, 2018.Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

The King, 75, and the Queen, 77, were originally scheduled to also visit New Zealand on this royal tour, the first to a Commonwealth realm since Charles became monarch in September 2022. The stop in New Zealand was cut in light of the King’s health, followinghis cancer diagnosisearlier this year.

While Down Under, Charles and Camilla will visit both Sydney and Canberra before heading to Samoa and the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) there. Last week, news emerged that the Kingwill “pause” cancer treatmentswhile abroad and will resume them when back in the U.K.; he will alsotravel with two doctorson the trip.

While in Australia, “the itinerary has been designed with the King’s health in mind,” theTimesreported. “The King and Queen will have a rest day, and there will be no evening engagements.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla pose in front of the RNLI Lifeboats during a tour of the Island showcase exhibition, a showcase of Guernsey culture, heritage, produce and environmental initiatives on Crown Pier during an official visit to Guernsey on July 16, 2024 in St Peter Port, Guernsey.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Gett

Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Gett

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In Samoa, Charles will participate in CHOGHM, as he is the head of the Commonwealth association of 56 nations. The summit is held every two years, and while in Samoa the King and Queen will arrive in the evening and attend a state dinner. The palace said thatthe couple’s engagements in both nations“will focus on themes designed to celebrate the best of Australia and Samoa, as well as reflecting aspects of the King and Queen’s work.”

source: people.com