Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford Tie the Knot in Intimate Wedding Ceremony

Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, has married her partner Clarke Gayford in a private ceremony in the North Island. The couple had initially planned to get married in 2022 but had to cancel due to strict Covid restrictions imposed by Ardern's government. Despite the small gathering, Ardern gave a heartfelt five-minute wedding speech to the guests. Ardern and Gayford have been together for ten years and share a five-year-old daughter named Neve. The wedding took place at Craggy Range Winery in Hawke's Bay, located about 310km (190 miles) north of Wellington, the country's capital. Reports mention that among the attendees was Chris Hipkins, Ardern's successor as prime minister and the current opposition leader. Ardern, who served as prime minister for over five years, announced her resignation in January, citing exhaustion. Her leadership and response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings garnered international acclaim. In her final speech in parliament, Ardern expressed her desire to finally marry Gayford. Since stepping down, Ardern has taken on several fellowships at Harvard University. She is also involved as a trustee for Prince William's Earthshot Prize and serves as a special envoy for the Christchurch Call, an initiative aimed at eliminating extremist content online following the tragic shooting in Christchurch.