Prince William has awarded Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, a damehood in recognition of her contributions to environmental advocacy.
During the ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, Ardern expressed that the moment was “particularly special” for her.
In addition to receiving this honour, Ardern has been serving as a trustee for William’s Earthshot Prize initiative, an environmental project addressing some of the most pressing ecological challenges facing the planet. She continues to play an active role in this important initiative.
The Prince and Princess of Wales wrote on their official Instagram account: “It was a privilege to present you with this deserved award at Windsor today!”
They called her “a friend, an extraordinary advocate for the environment and now a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.”
Ardern said she was “incredibly honored and very humbled” by her damehood felt the honor acknowledged her family, her former colleagues and New Zealanders who gave her the “extraordinary privilege of serving them for five years.”
The former prime minister, who was in office from 2017 to 2023, said she was in “two minds” about accepting the title when it was announced but is “incredibly humbled”.
She continued: “So many of the things we went through as a nation over the last five years were about all of us rather than one individual, but I have heard that said by so many Kiwis who I have encouraged to accept an honour over the years.
“This is a way to say thank you to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life.”
Prince William first encountered Jacinda Ardern during her tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Notably, she represented him at the inaugural Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit held in New York City in September 2022.
Established by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to encourage innovative solutions to some of the planet’s most urgent environmental issues.
The initiative will continue to award prizes until 2030, with each winner receiving £1 million to aid efforts in environmental restoration and sustainability.
Expressing his enthusiasm for Ardern’s involvement, Prince William referred to it as an honor to have her join the Earthshot Prize team, a sentiment he conveyed in a tweet signed with his initial, “W.”
Prince William called it an honour to welcome Arden to the Earthshot Prize team in a tweet signed with his personal initial W.
He wrote: “Her life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions, along with her experience as Prime Minister of New Zealand, will bring a rich infusion of new thinking to our mission.”
