In keeping with tradition,Britain’s Queen Camilla was given the top award by being appointed to the Order of New Zealand.
Ardern was just 37 when she became prime minister in 2017,and was seen as a global icon of the left.
She shocked New Zealanders in January when she said she was stepping down as leader after more than five years because she no longer had “enough in the tank” to do it justice.
She was facing mounting political pressures at home,including forher handling of COVID-19,which was initially widely lauded but later criticised by those opposed to mandates and rules.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins,who succeeded Ardern,said she was being recognised for her service during “some of the greatest challenges our country has faced in modern times”.
“Leading New Zealand’s response to the 2019 terrorist attacks and to the COVID-19 pandemic represented periods of intense challenge for our 40th prime minister,during which time I saw firsthand that her commitment to New Zealand remained absolute,” Hipkins said in a statement.