Royal visit: Ardern to meet the Queen
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will have a private meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
The one-on-one meeting will take place next week while Ardern is in London for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm).
‘‘I am grateful that Her Majesty is taking the time to meet with me in what is an incredibly busy week for her as head of the Commonwealth,’’ Ardern said.
The meeting on Thursday would be the prime minister’s first with the Queen.
‘‘I’m very much looking forward to sharing this Government’s vision for New Zealand and our priorities,’’ Ardern said.
The meeting is officially known as an ‘‘on appointment’’ audience, which is offered to new prime ministers of countries of which the Queen is the head of state.
Ardern would also be meeting the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House the day before.
The prince and duchess have visited New Zealand twice during the past few years. Ardern said the meeting on Wednesday would be a good chance to update them on issues of interest.
‘‘I’m also looking forward to a very special Youth Town Hall [event], where I will be meeting students from three London schools and hearing about the key social issues which concern them.’’
The town hall was being hosted at London’s City Hall on Wednesday by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had also invited Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Ardern left for Europe yesterday, after spending a day with New Zealand athletes at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
In Europe, she would meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
National leader Simon Bridges said meeting the Queen was a ‘‘great privilege’’. She was one of the world’s most respected people, he said.
He added that when Ardern met the Queen, she would do so on behalf of the whole country.