𝕁𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕒 𝔸𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕪𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕒𝕣𝕪: ‘𝔼𝕟𝕕𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥’

𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕖𝕣 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕁𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕒 𝔸𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕪𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣.

J

acinda Ardern shared a sweet snap on her Instagram page today of herself and Gayford - the TV host in a barbecue apron with the Shortland Street logo on it and a tea towel over his shoulder.

The photo, featuring Ardern in a Labour red blazer, is from a celebratory barbecue the couple held for staff and senior MPs on election day in 2017.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)

In the caption, she thanked her partner for his support throughout their years together, writing, “Nine years today. Happy Anniversary my love. 

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“Thanks for all the tea in bed, fresh fish and endless love and support xxx.”

Friends of the couple, including other high-profile New Zealanders, shared their congratulations by commenting on the post.

'Endless love': Jacinda shares sweet anniversary tribute to Clarke https://t.co/7gR1wuuloj pic.twitter.com/5Oh37SI3rh

— nzherald (@nzherald) June 1, 2023

“Now that is just delightful! Dynamic duo,” wrote Jason Gunn.

“JOYFUL!” Dame Miranda Harcourt commented, while another follower wrote, “Happy anniversary - you two deserve all the joy and love in the world.

“Thanks for sharing your lives with us so generously.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)

 

Gayford and Ardern first met at the Metro Restaurant Awards in 2012, and started dating a couple of years later after he approached the then-MP over a constituency issue.

In 2017, Ardern was elected leader of the Labour Party and became Prime Minister in October that year. Gayford became known as New Zealand’s “First Bloke” and soon after the election, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together.

They’re parents to daughter Neve Aroha Ardern-Gayford, who turns 5 this year.

The pair have been engaged since 2019 but their wedding plans have been delayed repeatedly by Covid-19 restrictions. However, when Ardern announced her resignation as Prime Minister in January this year, she hinted that a wedding was high on the couple’s priority list.

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

Gayford later spoke out about the “most incredible outpouring of thanks and respect” he has ever witnessed since his partner resigned.

Gayford said he witnessed “spontaneous tears of strangers in airports” and staffers received an “unprecedented number of positive emails”.

“I’m still not sure how I managed to hitch a front row seat in all of this but I remain as always; in awe, in love, relieved, exhausted and so incredibly proud of Neve’s mum’s superhuman efforts,” Gayford said.

“First Bloke out.”

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