The Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and her husband Sir David Gascoigne will represent New Zealand at the centennial of the Battle of Beersheba in Israel next week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was reportedly expected to attend the commemoration, but plans changed following the election result and the fact that she was only sworn in yesterday.
The 1917 battle was a joint New Zealand-Australia operation and an important strategic victory for British Empire forces.
A New Zealand commemoration will be held at Tel Be'er Sheva (historically known as Tel El Saba), a mound that was New Zealand's objective in the battle.
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade captured the position after six hours of fighting. Eight New Zealanders were killed and 26 wounded, almost all from the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment.