Hundreds of mourners have gathered in All Saints Chapel in Meadowbank this afternoon for the funeral of Dame Thea Muldoon - the wife of New Zealand Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon.
Around 150 people, including former Prime Minister Jim Bolger and Sir Don McKinnon, have gathered at the Chapel where a wreath of lilies and roses sits on top of her coffin. Former National MP and Mayor of Auckland John Banks is expected to speak at the service.
Dame Thea died on February 24, aged 87.
She was a popular figure at functions throughout the country at the side of Sir Robert during his time as prime minister in the late 70s and early 80s.
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 1993 New Year Honours and was awarded the Queen's Service Order in the 1986 New Year Honours.
Born Thea Dale Flyger, she was brought up in Huntly in the Waikato and after studying accounting, met Sir Robert in 1948 through the Young Nationals.
They married in 1951 and had three children.
Sir Robert was MP for Tamaki 1960-91 and died in 1992 aged 70.