Jacinda Ardern to marry Clarke Gayford this month – reports – 1News

Former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern will marry her long-term fianc Clarke Gayford in a wedding ceremony this month, according to media reports.

Ardern, 43, and Gayford, 47, have refused to confirm the news officially.

Responding to a Herald reporter's request for comment, Gayford said: I cant believe you thought you could call up and Id just tell you all."

The TV presenter added that he had "nothing to add", whilst Ardern reportedly couldn't be reached for comment.

The wedding will take place at an "elite venue" in Hawkes Bay next week on January 13, Stuff reports, with the "highly secure" ceremony having a short list of guests.

It's been reported the ceremony will be small with a list of attendees consisting mainly of family, close friends, and several former and current Labour politicians.

The couple got engaged over the Easter break in 2019, whilst Ardern was serving her first term as prime minister. At the time, when asked when her wedding would be, she said: "I have absolutely no idea."

The couple's first wedding ceremony, planned for the beginning of 2022, was cancelled after the Omicron variant of Covid-19 saw the country bracing for tens of thousands of cases. An increase in gathering restrictions saw the wedding postponed.

Ardern responded when asked at the time: "Such is life."

She continued: "My wedding wont be going ahead but I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic.

"And to anyone caught up in that scenario, I am so sorry. But we are all so resilient and I know we understand we are doing this for one another and it will help us carry on."

When the then-prime minister made her shock resignation announcement 11 months later, she said: "I am looking forward to spending time with my family once again. Arguably, they are the ones that have sacrificed the most out of all of us.

"So to Neve, mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year.

"And to Clarke, lets finally get married."

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Jacinda Ardern to marry Clarke Gayford this month - reports - 1News