New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recalls her first meeting with the Queen and her moment of laughter – as Kiwis experience ‘a time of great sadness’
- Jacinta Ardern expresses NZ’s condolences to ‘extraordinary’ Queen
- She shared a touching story of laughter on her first meeting with her
- Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96, ending the longest reign of any British monarch
- Flags will be flown at half-mast until the funeral, except on Proclamation Day
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
Jacinda Ardern has expressed her country’s condolences to the ‘extraordinary’ Queen Elizabeth II as she shares a touching story between the pair, which she says encapsulated who she was as a leader.
Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, ending the longest reign of any British monarch with Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III.
Ms Ardern said she was woken by ‘a police officer shining a torch into my room’ to be told the news the longest serving British monarch had passed.
Speaking in Wellington alongside a framed picture of Her Majesty shortly after, the prime minister said New Zealand was experiencing ‘a time of deep sadness’.
‘I know I speak for all New Zealanders in conveying our deepest sympathy to members of the Royal family and condolences to King Charles III at this time of enormous loss,’ she said.
Jacinda Ardern has expressed her countries condolences to the ‘extraordinary’ Queen Elizabeth II as she shares a touching story between the pair where she was gifted a picture of her laughing and recalled to the PM exactly what made her laugh decades later
‘A chapter is closing today. With that, we remember an incredible woman that we were lucky to call our Queen.
‘She was extraordinary.
‘She was a woman who worked into her 90s.
‘The last days of the Queen’s life captures who she was in so many ways, working to the very end on behalf of the people she loved.’
Ms Ardern recalled her first meeting with the Queen, when she gifted a picture of Her Majesty laughing on an early visit to New Zealand, decades ago.
‘Not only did she remember the visit, she could remember what was making her laugh,’ she said.
‘That speaks to me of someone who gave a life of service but who also enjoyed the role that she played a difficult I’m sure as it was.’
New Zealand’s official mourning will continue until a State Memorial Service, held after the Queen’s funeral, which is expected in around ten days’ time.
Flags will be flown at half-mast until the funeral, except on Proclamation Day, when King Charles III is officially announced as the new King.
New Zealand’s official mourning will continue until a State Memorial Service, held after the Queen’s funeral which is expected in around 10 days time. Flags will be flown at half-mast until the funeral, except on Proclamation Day, when King Charles III is officially announced as the new King
Kiwis will be invited to sign condolence books at parliament and the National Library, and offered sites to leave flowers.
New Zealanders are supportive of the monarchy with the most recent substantive poll on the a potential separation from the Commonwealth last November on the occassion of the Queen’s death showing 50 per cent opposed compared to 44 per cent in favour.
Ms Ardern has said she has ‘never sensed urgency’ from Kiwis to move to a republic.
New Zealand’s most popular broadcaster Mike Hosking cried on air, saying ‘I don’t know that I can do this, just give me a couple of minutes’.
Opposition leader Chris Luxon also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s ‘unflinching dignity, compassion, and selflessness’.
‘The strength and stability of Her Majesty’s leadership of the Commonwealth was a reassuring anchor for New Zealand and New Zealanders in uncertain and changing times,’ he said.
Queen Elizabeth II visited New Zealand 10 times, last travelling to the country in 2002.
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