18 Apr 2018

Ardern to meet British royalty during whirlwind UK tour

6:49 pm on 18 April 2018

The Prime Minister is gearing up for a whirlwind series of meetings with fellow leaders and royalty in London.

Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern speaks at the Chancellery in Berlin at a news conference held with German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday.

Photo: AFP / Emmanuele Contini / NurPhoto

Jacinda Ardern is there for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, having visited France and Germany earlier in the week.

Ms Ardern has her first meeting in person with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street today.

She said she was hoping to reiterate New Zealand's eagerness for a free-trade deal with Britain, post-Brexit.

Earlier, Ms Ardern will meet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at a royal residence in Westminster.

In a last minute addition to her schedule, she'll also meet Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama.

After her talks with Ms May, Ms Ardern will go into a meeting with three of New Zealand's international security intelligence partners.

Those countries - Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom - along with New Zealand, are part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group, which also includes the United States.

Leaders and officials from the Five Eyes countries, aside from the US, are in Britain for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.