She said "yes"! Jacinda Ardern's surprise engagement to partner Clarke Gayford
The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, and her long-time partner became engaged over Easter, her team have confirmed.
According to Ardern’s press secretary, the PM and Clarke Gayford made the decision to spend the rest of their lives together over the Easter break.
The mother-of-one had been spotted wearing the ring on her middle finger, according to NT News.
The couple have a 10-month-old daughter together.
Sitting down with the BBC earlier in the year, Ardern said that she wasn’t sure if she would put her partner through the “pain and torture” of having to kneel down on one knee to pop the question when asked if she would reverse the roles being a feminist.
The 38-year-old met her fiancé in 2012 at an awards event.
Only two months after Ardern was elected as Prime Minister, she was made to address the constant speculation on whether or not she and Gayford were engaged.
“I thought I would upfront address the speculation in the gallery this afternoon over my Facebook Live and the issue of where my ring was placed during that Facebook live,” said Ardern.
“I’m happy to confirm that I have eczema on my left hand, which causes me to rotate where I wear my beautiful onyx ring. So, no I am not engaged.
“I do, however, suffer from a small skin condition, which is not very romantic. Glad to have cleared that up.”
Ardern chose to wear her engagement ring on her middle finger on Monday when visiting a memorial at the Pike River Mine in Greymouth, New Zealand. The decision was made so not to take attention away from those that had been affected by the tragedy, which trapped and killed 29 men after an explosion in 2010.