Jacinda Ardern

Former New Zealand leader, Jacinda Ardern, who stepped down from her post earlier this year, has been made a dame in one of the country’s highest honours. “Having served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023, Dame Jacinda Ardern is recognized for her service to New Zealand during some of the greatest challenges our country has faced in modern times,” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement. The move grants Ardern the title of Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. The Order of Merit, established in 1996, is awarded to those in any field who have performed “meritorious service to the Crown and the nation” or who are known for their “eminence, talents, contributions, or other merits,” according to the government site.