Watch: Prince William and Jacinda Ardern Share Giggles at Damehood Ceremony

[Social Media]

 

Prince William and Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, shared a lighthearted and memorable moment during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. The two shared smiles and laughter as Prince William officially made Ardern a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Ardern has been closely working with the prince as a trustee of his Earthshot Prize, which awards $1 million grants to projects that aim to protect and preserve the environment.

A friend, an extraordinary advocate for the environment and now a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the State.@jacindaardern, it was a privilege to present you with this deserved award at Windsor today! pic.twitter.com/Hj7Nhtxki2

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 16, 2024

 

Ardern’s recognition came as part of a lengthy list of honors Prince William was conducting on the day, and their easy rapport was clear as he adorned her with a red sash and the badge of the prestigious order. The playful moment highlighted the genuine friendship that has developed between the pair over the years of their environmental collaboration.

 

On his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Prince William expressed his admiration for Ardern, writing, "A friend, an extraordinary advocate for the environment and now a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the State. @jacindaardern, it was a privilege to present you with this deserved award at Windsor today!" 

 

Ardern, visibly humbled, responded in a video posted alongside the prince’s message, saying, "It’s a huge honor. I feel really humbled by the chance to be here with my family, and really I see it as an acknowledgment of them and of every person I worked with and of everyone who supported me, and that includes a very large number of New Zealanders."

 

Reflecting on her work with Prince William, she recalled their discussions about the Earthshot Prize long before it became a reality. "I remember some years ago now, Prince William telling me about the idea of the Earthshot Prize, and then to see what he’s created. It’s not just a prize for me, it’s the movement that I think is so important about telling every single person out there that we don’t have to wait for this catastrophe to happen to us. That there are things we can do and that are being done."

 

Ardern’s involvement with the Earthshot Prize was publicly announced in April 2023 when Prince William shared how instrumental she had been in the prize’s early days. "Four years ago, before The Earthshot Prize even had a name, Jacinda was one of the first people I spoke to, and her encouragement and advice was crucial to the Prize’s early success," he said at the time.

 

The ceremony marked not only a formal recognition of Ardern’s years of service to New Zealand and her continued advocacy for environmental causes but also a poignant moment of friendship and shared purpose between two global leaders working towards a better future for the planet.

 

 

Based on a report from Newsweek 2024-10-18

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

I just lost all respect for Prince William, that he would have anything to do with that woman.

We just got rid of her from NZ and now she's sucking up to British royalty, and being accepted.

[thaibeachlovers]

54 minutes ago, Social Media said:

The ceremony marked not only a formal recognition of Ardern’s years of service to New Zealand

IMO her years of destroying NZ society.

Her legacy of disruption and overlooking gang criminality continue to blight NZ.

[Tug]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO her years of destroying NZ society.

Her legacy of disruption and overlooking gang criminality continue to blight NZ.

My god man it’s time to man the bunker!!lol heck to me it looks like perhaps they shared a joint lol I know that’s not true but to me when two leaders can get together and enjoy each other’s company that’s a positive thing.

[JonnyF]

I like William but awarding a tyrant like Ardern was a massive mistake.

 

If he makes many more like that, I'm out. 

 

 

[RuamRudy]

53 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I like William but awarding a tyrant like Ardern was a massive mistake.

 

If he makes many more like that, I'm out. 

 

 

 

Sadly it's not Dragon's Den - you don't get to choose whether to hand over your cash to William. He pockets it whether you like it or not. 

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

My god man it’s time to man the bunker!!lol heck to me it looks like perhaps they shared a joint lol I know that’s not true but to me when two leaders can get together and enjoy each other’s company that’s a positive thing.

 

What's William the leader of?

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Sadly it's not Dragon's Den - you don't get to choose whether to hand over your cash to William. He pockets it whether you like it or not. 

 

I can choose whether to hand over cash to William on Dragon's Den? Cool. 

 

In all seriousness, UK citizens don't get to choose whether to hand over cash to a lot of things. Illegal immigrants, Ukraine, foreign aid, second homes for MP's, police escorts for Taylor Swift etc. 

[JonnyF]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

to me when two leaders can get together and enjoy each other’s company that’s a positive thing.

 

You might want to qualify that. 

 

[johng]

Retched authoritarian control freak.

 

 

[RuamRudy]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

I can choose whether to hand over cash to William on Dragon's Den? Cool. 

 

In all seriousness, UK citizens don't get to choose whether to hand over cash to a lot of things. Illegal immigrants, Ukraine, foreign aid, second homes for MP's, police escorts for Taylor Swift etc. 

 

So when you wrote, 

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

If he makes many more like that, I'm out

 

To what were you referring? Out of...? 

[Sydebolle]

I have more respect for all those nameless helpers during the recent floods in Northern/Northeastern Thailand.

The costs of moving Ardern to Windsor and the avalanche of empty words is an insult to the thousands of unnamed helpers. In all fairness though, William is executing; someone else at Westmonster is compiling such lists. Good for the ego but, apart from that, pretty worthless - me thinks! 

[Theforgotten1]

They have a lot in common , he has horses and she looks like one

[Thingamabob]

Some will say 'how sweet', others 'pass the vomit bucket'.

[CHdiver]

If I did understand her correctly in that youtube video, she is saving the world climate change one flight at the time. Or did she sail from New Zealand to the Windsor Palace?

 

One more that is talking water and drinking wine. 

[john donson]

protect the environment, lol... and how did she get to the UK ?  private Jet maybe ?

[BTB1977]

All the men in that family sure do like the ugly ones for side chick's. 

[bendejo]

On 10/17/2024 at 7:13 PM, RuamRudy said:

Sadly it's not Dragon's Den - you don't get to choose whether to hand over your cash to William. He pockets it whether you like it or not. 

 

Americans like to refer to "my tax money."  I'd never use that term.  I pay my taxes, and it's not mine any more, and it's the same for the rest of them.