Jacinda Ardern’s heart-warming words to Clarke Gayford in resignation speech

As Jacinda Ardern’s chapter in Parliament draws to a close, it seems a wedding to her long-time partner Clarke Gayford may be a priority, after previous Covid-19 delays.

In a speech announcing her departure Ardern said she was looking forward to being there when her daughter Neve starts school, and to Gayford she said “let’s get married”.

So just what are the couple’s plans? Here’s a timeline of what’s been said to date:

November 2022

She told the Herald this won’t be the summer when she finally marries Gayford.

“We probably left it a little bit too late, so no, we don’t have a date or a plan,” Ardern said at the time.

“We had loosely said this summer and then we just were too slow and our friends are all very busy and all over the place.

“Barring us doing something spontaneous I can’t see how that’s going to happen [before the election].

“I can assure you I put all of my effort in planning into running the country as opposed to my own wedding planning,” she said, laughing.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford in the UK for the Queen's funeral. Photo / Adam Pearse

January 2022

Ardern called off the couple’s wedding as the country moved into the red light setting on January 23.

She and Gayford were planning to get married last summer in Gisborne.

“My wedding won’t 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.”

She later told the Herald that she received a call to isolate after a flight attendant on her flight tested positive about 30 minutes before she was scheduled to walk down the aisle.

“There was quite a discussion between Chris [Hipkins] and Grant [Robertson] about which one of them would have broken the news to me.”

December 2021

Ardern was asked about her wedding plans on ZM and said “you’d have to ask Clarke, he’s in charge”.

“I said to someone I do really think I’m the least-engaged bride. I know the big stuff, but he’s really doing the lot.”

She said her day was “going to be pretty low-key”.

Asked if Gayford was moving a marquee in on the back of a truck, in reference to Clarke’s TVNZ show Moving House, “you know what, it’s not that far off”.

And while the joke could have revealed details of her wedding ceremony, Ardern denied that would be actually happening on her big day.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards alongside partner Clarke Gayford. Picture / Norrie Montgomery

May 2021

The Prime Minister reveals live on air on Coast Radio she and Gayford have “finally got a date” for their wedding.

“That doesn’t mean we’ve told anyone yet, so I feel like we should probably put some invites out,” she revealed.

May 2019

A spokesman for Ardern revealed the couple became engaged over Easter.

Her press secretary said she has been wearing a ring since Easter but it has been on a middle finger, not the traditional ring finger.

Clarke Gayford and Jacinda Ardern at home with Neve as a newborn.