After years of delays, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ties the knot

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — After almost five years of engagement and a postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has married longtime partner Clarke Gayford in a private ceremony. Details of the event have been closely held by the pair, but the ceremony was staged at a luxury vineyard about 200 miles from New Zealand’s capital, Wellington. It’s believed only family, close friends and a few of the 43-year-old Ardern’s former lawmaker colleagues were invited, including Ardern’s successor and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Ardern shocked New Zealanders in January 2023 when she said she was stepping down after five-and-a-half years as Prime Minister.