Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed the New Zealanders attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London. Video / NZ Herald
The New Zealanders attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II include Māori rights champions, world-renowned singers, our most decorated soldier and an esteemed horse trainer, himself picked by our Aussie neighbours.
The Prime Minister's office said that six official representatives - including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Governor General Cindy Kiro,acting High Commissioner Shannon Austin and their respective spouses - had been invited to attend the funeral.
The Government was also invited to send 10 representatives from the New Zealand community, along with five who have been granted royal honours.
The representatives chosen cover many walks of life, and include one New Zealand Cross, one Victoria Cross and three Orders of New Zealand.
"New Zealanders, including some living in London, were chosen to represent both Māori in recognition of the relationship with the Crown and others from different walks of life," Cabinet Secretary Rachel Hayward said.
"Indications received from London were that the preference was for these to be community representatives recognising the Queen's commitment to service."
The importance of the relationship between the Crown and Māori is represented by Māori Kiingitanga, Kiingi Tūheitia and Ngāi Tahu kaumātua Sir Tipene O'Regan, she said.
The group also includes the founder of the Ngāti Rānana - the London Māori Culture Club - Whaea Esther Kerr Jessop ONZM.
Others were chosen for their sports, arts, cultural, business and academia connections.
One community representative is still to be confirmed. It is understood the decisions have also been influenced by the ability to make travel arrangements.
New Zealand was also invited to send five senior holders of Royal Honours – one New Zealand Cross (Jacinda Amey), One Victoria Cross (Willie Apiata), and three Order of New Zealand (Sir Don McKinnon, Dame Silvia Cartwright and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa).
"The process to identify those who could broadly represent and reflect New Zealand communities was completed in a very short timeframe to ensure arrangements could be made to get those based in New Zealand to the UK in time for the funeral," Hayward said.
"We know attending the funeral to represent New Zealand is a privilege and opportunity many New Zealanders would cherish.
"We believe this group representing different walks of life will proudly represent New Zealand."
Queen Elizabeth II greets Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2018. Photo / Getty Images
A similar approach was taken in Australia, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's list included "everyday Australians".
One of Australia's picks was also a New Zealander, Chris Waller, a horse trainer who moved to Australia from New Zealand in 2000.
Waller looked after many of the Queen's horses and got to know her well.
Palace officials provided some guidance on the community representatives and the Cabinet Office and NZ's High Commission in London provided advice to the PM on the invites list.
Ardern signed off on the final invitation list. She herself left for London on Wednesday morning.
Kiingi Tūheitia
Kiingi Tūheitia has served as the Māori King since 2006. The Kīngitanga, or Māori King movement, was founded in 1858 with the aim of uniting Māori under a single sovereign.
Queen Elizabeth II visited Turangawaewae marae, headquarters of the Kīngitanga, many times and developed a close relationship with the movement.
Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, pictured with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2021, will travel to the Queen's funeral. Photo / Mike Scott
She became particularly close with the longest-serving Māori monarch Queen Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Tūheitia's mother, who reigned for 40 years until her death in 2006.
Queen Elizabeth II personally signed into law the Waikato Raupatu Settlement Act 1995 - the first Treaty settlement signed and only New Zealand legislation given Royal Assent in person by the Queen.
Tūheitia will attend the funeral with his wife Makau Ariki Atawhai.
Champion of Māori rights Tā Tipene O'Regan was knighted in 1994 and was this year made an additional member of the Order of New Zealand.
O'Regan, who is also 2022's New Zealander of the Year, was a key negotiator for his iwi's Treaty of Waitangi settlement, signed in 1997 with the Crown.
O'Regan told RNZ he believed the Queen herself took a great interest in putting things right, including asserting the Treaty applied to the South Island despite political opposition here.
Ngāi Tahu representatives Tā Tipene O'Regan and his daughter Dr Hana Merenea O'Regan will both travel to the Queen's funeral. Photo / Michael Neilson
O'Regan will attend the funeral with his daughter Dr Hana Merenea O'Regan, a Māori language advocate and academic in her own right.
Aivale Cole
London-based soprano Aivale Cole was born and raised in New Zealand. In 2009 she won the Lexus Song Quest.
Cole was chosen to represent New Zealand's arts and cultural connections to the United Kingdom.
Whaea Esther Jessop is Honorary President of Ngāti Rānana – The London Māori Club.
She was a founding member in 1958 and former Chair. In 2021 Jessop was recognised for a lifetime of service to Māori and NZ-UK relations, being made an Officer of the Order of New Zealand.
In her role she has met the Queen, and in 2018 spoke of how she loaned Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a korowai for her own royal meeting.
Jacqueline Gilbert
UK-based Kiwi Jacqueline Gilbert's first interaction with Royal family was a $26,000 bill because her handbag business Beaudurof's logo conflicted with theirs.
But, as reported by the Herald, instead of punishing the burgeoning entrepreneur for an honest mistake, the royals showed grace and the Wellington woman ultimately took part in the Queen's 95th birthday to celebrate Gilbert's achievements in engineering.
Gilbert completed an MBA at Cambridge and now judges at Business School Entrepreneur courses. She was chosen to represent business and academic connections.
Dame Silvia Cartwright dedicated more than 40 years to the law and became the first woman in New Zealand appointed to the High Court in 1993.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with then-New Zealand Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright in 2002. Photo / Mark Mitchell
She served as New Zealand's 18th Governor-General from 2001 to 2006, the second woman to hold the office.
She was appointed to the Order of New Zealand this year.
Bill (Willie) Apiata
Bill (Willie) Apiata is the first, and so far only, recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand - which replaced the British Victoria Cross in 1999 for acts of valour by Kiwi military personnel.
Willie Apiata, VC, posing for photographs after the 2017 Anzac Day Dawn Service at the national War Memorial in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He received the honour in 2007 for bravery under fire in Afghanistan.
Sir Don McKinnon
Sir Don McKinnon served as the 12th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and was also foreign minister.
He was the secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2000 until 2008, during which time Queen Elizabeth II was his "boss".
Queen Elizabeth II and then-Commonwealth Secretary-General Sir Don McKinnon pictured in 2007. Photo / Supplied
At a service of tribute this year for the Queen, McKinnon said he would always try to "have a laugh" with her and regularly discussed the All Blacks and other topics that would lighten the occasion, RNZ reported.
"Her interests were far and wide" but talking about horses and cattle always engaged her interest, he said.
"She had an immense knowledge of horse breeds all over the world."
McKinnon was appointed as a Member of the Order of New Zealand in 2008.
Jacinda Amey
Jacinda Amey received the New Zealand Cross for towing a colleague to safety in 1992 after he was attacked by a shark near Campbell Island.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is an internationally-famed soprano and one of New Zealand's most well-known singers.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing Happy Birthday to the Queen at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Te Kanawa has performed for the Royal Family on many occasions, including at the wedding of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana in 1981.
She was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to music in 2018.
Rebecca Smith
Rebecca Smith was a World Cup and Olympic footballer captaining the New Zealand women's national football team. She was chosen to represent New Zealand's sporting relationship with the United Kingdom.
Corey Baker
UK-based Corey Baker is a New Zealand classical and contemporary choreographer, film director and former dancer.
In February, Corey was named UK New Zealander of the Year for his advocacy for NZ and Māori dance and culture, and work promoting dance to a wider audience.
