Spouse of the prime minister of New Zealand

Last updated

Spouse of the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Incumbent
Amanda Luxon
since 27 November 2023
Residence Premier 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]

Contents

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.PortraitSpouse
(Maiden name)
TenureLength of tenurePrime Minister
1 No image.svg Elizabeth Sewell (née Kittoe) – 1880
(aged 61)
7 May 1856

20 May 1856
13 days Sewell
m. 1850
2 No image.svg Sarah Fox (Lady Fox) (née Halcomb) – 23 June 1892
(aged 76)
20 May 1856

2 June 1856
13 days Fox
m. 1842
3 No image.svg 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
Vacant18 April 1857

5 December 1859
2 years, 7 months and 17 days Stafford
Widower
4 No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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 Lady Frederick Weld.jpg 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) No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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 (crop).jpg 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 Lady Grey, 1854.JPG 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 No image.svg 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) No image.svg 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 (crop).jpg 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 Stout.jpg 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 (crop).jpg 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 Stout.jpg 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 (crop).jpg 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, circa 1930 (cropped).jpg 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.jpg 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 No image.svg 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.jpg 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 No image.svg 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 No image.svg (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 No image.svg 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 No image.svg 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
Vacant10 December 1928

28 May 1930
1 year, 5 months and 18 days Ward
Widower
23 No image.svg 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
Vacant6 December 1935

27 March 1940
4 years, 3 months and 21 days Savage
Bachelor
24 Janet Fraser.jpg 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
Vacant7 March 1945

13 December 1949
4 years, 9 months and 6 days Fraser
Widower
25 Florence Beatrice Holland (crop).jpg 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 Norma Holyoake (cropped).jpg (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 Lotty Nash (crop).jpg 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) No image.svg (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 No image.svg 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 Ruth Kirk, 1969.jpg (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
No image.svg 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 Rowling (crop).jpg 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 Thea Muldoon, 1977.jpg (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 No image.svg 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 Margaret Palmer (cropped).jpg 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 No image.svg 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 2018 (cropped).jpg 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.jpg Burton Shipley
bef. 1954
(aged around 69–70)

8 December 1997

10 December 1999
2 years and 2 days Shipley
m. 1972
37 Peter Davis 2010.jpg Peter Byard Davis
25 April 1947
(aged 77)

10 December 1999

19 November 2008
8 years, 11 months and 9 days Clark
m. 1981
38 Bronagh Key (cropped).jpg 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 No image.svg 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 Clarke Gayford 2.jpg Clarke Gayford α
partner
24 October 1976 [10]
(aged 47)

26 October 2017

25 January 2023
5 years, 2 months and 30 days Ardern
m. 2024
41 No image.svg Jade Marie Hipkins (née Paul)25 January 2023

27 November 2023
10 months and 2 days Hipkins
m. 2020
42 No image.svg Amanda Luxon (née Rae)27 November 2023

Present
5 months and 5 days* Luxon
m. 1994

Domestic partner; engaged since May 2019. [11]

* Incumbent's length of tenure last updated: 1 May 2024.

See also

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