Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spent time with Lorde at a private dinner in Auckland

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and pop star Lorde, 22, were spotted having a private dinner together in Auckland on Saturday night. Photo / Getty Images

Two of the world's most famous Kiwis have taken time out of their busy schedules to dine together in an Auckland restaurant.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and pop star Lorde, 22, were spotted having a private dinner together in Auckland on Saturday night.

Ardern would not comment on the dinner on the grounds that she was not there in her capacity as Prime Minister.

But the pair were spotted at a restaurant in Auckland's fashionable Britomart, close to the waterfront.

The pair first met at the 2017 Vodafone Music Awards a month after Ardern became Prime Minister. Ardern presented Lorde – whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor – with the People's Choice Award.

"Guys, I'm sorry – we need to give another round of applause to Jacinda Ardern," Lorde said after the pair hugged.

"I am so happy to have such an articulate, exciting, young, beautiful leader in our country.

"I can't believe you're at the New Zealand Music Awards, this is like a big deal for music."

In response, Ardern said she was a "mutual fangirl" and said that presenting Lorde with the award was a "big deal".

In early 2018, responding to news that Lorde had not been asked to perform at the Grammys, Ardern said it was "their loss" and that the singer/songwriter was "fantastic and such an amazing live performer".

"We should all be proud that she is there."

In an Instagram post this week, Lorde hinted that a third album was on the way.

She thanked her fans and said she felt like she had grown a lot since her last album, Melodrama, came out two years ago.

"Feels like I've grown a lot since then, I've been to Antarctica, I have a dog now and a cat and I can bake bread and cook dinner and keep plants alive.

"It's a good life you've given me. Thank you, thank you. Third one in the oven."