List of governors-general of New Zealand

File:Cindy Kiro DNZM investiture.jpg

Cindy Kiro (left), the incumbent governor-general, with her immediate predecessor, Patsy Reddy, in May 2021

The following is a list of the governors and governors-general of New Zealand. As the personal representative of the New Zealand monarch, the governor-general performs many of the functions vested in the Crown, such as summoning and dissolving Parliament, granting or withholding the Royal Assent, making state visits, and receiving ambassadors. These functions are performed on the advice of the head of government, the prime minister.

From William Hobson's appointment in 1841, a total of 37 individuals have served as governor, governor-in-chief (1848–1853), or governor-general (since 1917). Sir Arthur Porritt was the first New Zealand-born governor-general, although he had been living in Britain for 31 years at the time of his appointment. All governors-general since Sir Denis Blundell in 1972 have been New Zealand residents and, with the exception of Sir David Beattie, New Zealand-born. The list does not include lieutenant-governors of the provinces of New Ulster and New Munster that existed between 1848 and 1853.Template:Efn The table also does not include administrators of the government, who fulfil viceregal duties between the terms of governors-general, or at other times when the governor-general is overseas or otherwise unable to carry out the role. The role of administrator is normally undertaken by the chief justice.

Overview

Governors-general have been appointed under letters patent issued in 1917 and the current letters patent issued in 1983.

Historically, governors and governors-general were generally British aristocrats, a reflection of colonial-era affiliations. From the 1970s onward, however, a significant shift occurred, aligning with a more inclusive approach that mirrored New Zealand's diverse population. All governors-general since 1972 have been New Zealand residents. Sir Paul Reeves, in office from 1985 to 1990, was the first Māori governor-general. Dame Catherine Tizard, who served from 1990 to 1996, was the first female governor-general. Sir Anand Satyanand, who held the position from 2006 to 2011, was the first governor-general of Indian and of Pasifika ancestry. Governors-general have had a range of backgrounds, encompassing judges, a mayor, archbishop, surgeon, diplomat, general, farmer, and prime minister.

List of officeholders

Governors and Governors-General of New Zealand

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Length of term	Monarch	Premier/Prime Minister
As lieutenant-governor
1	File:WilliamHobsonGovNZ.jpg	William Hobson (1792–1842)	30 January 1840	3 May 1841	Template:Age in years and days	Victoria	NoneTemplate:Efn
As governor
1	File:WilliamHobsonGovNZ.jpg	William Hobson (1792–1842)	3 May 1841	10 September 1842	Template:Age in years and days	Victoria	NoneTemplate:Efn
2	File:Robert Fitzroy.jpg	Robert FitzRoy (1805–1865)	26 December 1843	17 November 1845	Template:Age in years and days
3	File:GeorgeEdwardGrey02.jpg	Sir George Grey (1812–1898)	18 November 1845	31 December 1853Template:Efn	Template:Age in years and days
4	File:Thomas Gore Browne.jpg	Thomas Gore Browne (1807–1887)	6 September 1855	2 October 1861	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Henry Sewell
							William Fox
							Edward Stafford
							William Fox
(3)	File:GeorgeEdwardGrey02.jpg	Sir George Grey (1812–1898)	4 December 1861	5 February 1868	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Alfred Domett
							Frederick Whitaker
							Frederick Weld
							Edward Stafford
5	File:George Bowen b.jpg	Sir George Bowen (1821–1899)	5 February 1868	19 March 1873	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							William Fox
							Edward Stafford
							George Waterhouse
							William Fox
6	File:Sir James Fergusson, 1891.jpg	Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet (1832–1907)	14 June 1873	3 December 1874	Template:Age in years and days		Julius Vogel
7	File:GeorgePhipps2ndMarquessOfNormanby.jpg	George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby (1819–1890)	9 January 1875	21 February 1879	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Daniel Pollen
							Julius Vogel
							Harry Atkinson
							George Grey
8	File:LordRosmead.jpg	Sir Hercules Robinson (1824–1897)	17 April 1879	8 September 1880	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							John Hall
9	File:Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon.jpg	Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon (1829–1912)	29 November 1880	23 June 1882	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Frederick Whitaker
10	File:William Jervois.jpg	Sir William Jervois (1821–1897)	20 January 1883	22 March 1889	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Harry Atkinson
							Robert Stout
							Harry Atkinson
							Robert Stout
							Harry Atkinson
11	File:4thEarlOfOnslow.jpg	William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow (1853–1911)	2 May 1889	24 February 1892	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							John Ballance
12	File:7thEarlOfGlasgow.jpg	David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow (1833–1915)	7 June 1892	6 February 1897	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Template:Zwsp
13	File:5thEarlOfRanfurly.jpg	Uchter Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly (1856–1933)	10 August 1897	19 June 1904	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Zwsp	Richard Seddon
						Edward VII
14	File:5thLordPlunket.jpg	William Plunket, 5th Baron Plunket (1864–1920)	20 June 1904	8 June 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
							William Hall-Jones
							Template:Zwsp
						Template:Zwsp	Joseph Ward
15	File:Lord Islington LCCN2014715417.jpg	John Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington (1866–1936)	22 June 1910	2 December 1912	Template:Age in years and days	George V	Template:Zwsp
							Thomas Mackenzie
							Template:Zwsp
16	File:2ndEarlOfLiverpool.jpg	Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1870–1941)	19 December 1912	27 June 1917	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Zwsp	William Massey
As governor-general
1	File:2ndEarlOfLiverpool.jpg	Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1870–1941)	28 June 1917	7 July 1920	Template:Age in years and days	George V	William Massey
2	File:John Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet.jpg	John Jellicoe, 1st Viscount Jellicoe (1859–1935)	27 September 1920	26 November 1924	Template:Age in years and days
3	File:Sir Charles Fergusson, ca 1926.jpg	Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet (1865–1951)	13 December 1924	8 February 1930	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Francis Bell
							Gordon Coates
							Joseph Ward
4	File:Charles Bathurst.jpg	Charles Bathurst, 1st Baron Bledisloe (1867–1958)	19 March 1930	15 March 1935	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							George Forbes
5	File:George Monckton-Arundell.jpg	George Monckton-Arundell, 8th Viscount Galway (1882–1943)	12 April 1935	3 February 1941	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
						Template:Zwsp	Michael Joseph Savage
						Edward VIII
						Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
							Template:Zwsp
6	File:Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril Newall (close-up).jpg	Sir Cyril Newall (1886–1963)	22 February 1941	19 April 1946	Template:Age in years and days	George VI	Peter Fraser
7	File:General Freyberg.jpg	Sir Bernard FreybergTemplate:Efn (1889–1963)	17 June 1946	15 August 1952	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
						Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
						Template:Zwsp	Template:Zwsp
8	File:Willoughby Norrie 1953 (cropped).jpg	Sir Willoughby Norrie (1893–1977)	2 December 1952	25 July 1957	Template:Age in years and days	Elizabeth II	Sidney Holland
9	File:Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham.jpg	Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham (1909–1977)	5 September 1957	13 September 1962	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Keith Holyoake
							Walter Nash
							Template:Zwsp
10	File:Sir Bernard Fergusson - Governor General, 1963 (21764934845).jpg	Sir Bernard Fergusson (1911–1980)	9 November 1962	20 October 1967	Template:Age in years and days		Keith Holyoake
11	File:Arthur Porritt governor-general.jpg	Sir Arthur Porritt, 1st Baronet (1900–1994)	1 December 1967	6 September 1972	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Jack Marshall
12	File:Sir Denis Blundell.jpg	Sir Denis Blundell (1907–1984)	27 September 1972	5 October 1977	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Norman Kirk
							Bill Rowling
							Template:Zwsp
13	File:Sir Keith Holyoake circa 1980.jpg	Sir Keith Holyoake (1904–1983)	26 October 1977	23 October 1980	Template:Age in years and days		Robert Muldoon
14	File:Sir David Beattie.jpg	Sir David Beattie (1924–2001)	6 November 1980	10 November 1985	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							David Lange
15	File:Paul Reeves (cropped).jpg	Sir Paul Reeves (1932–2011)	20 November 1985	29 November 1990	Template:Age in years and days		Template:Zwsp
							Geoffrey Palmer
							Mike Moore
							Template:Zwsp
16	File:Governor-General Catherine Tizard.jpg	Dame Catherine Tizard (1931–2021)	12 December 1990	3 March 1996	Template:Age in years and days		Jim Bolger
17	File:Michael Hardie Boys.jpg	Sir Michael Hardie Boys (1931–2023)	21 March 1996	21 March 2001	5 years		Template:Zwsp
							Jenny Shipley
							Template:Zwsp
18	File:Silvia Cartwright 2020 (cropped).jpg	Dame Silvia Cartwright (born 1943)	4 April 2001	4 August 2006	Template:Age in years and days		Helen Clark
19	File:Anand Satyanand official photo (cropped).jpg	Sir Anand Satyanand (born 1944)	23 August 2006	23 August 2011	5 years		Template:Zwsp
							Template:Zwsp
20	File:Jerry Mateparae official photo (cropped).jpg	Sir Jerry Mateparae (born 1954)	31 August 2011	31 August 2016	5 years		John Key
21	File:Patsy Reddy official portrait (cropped).jpg	Dame Patsy Reddy (born 1954)	28 September 2016	28 September 2021	5 years		Template:Zwsp
							Bill English
							Template:Zwsp
22	File:Cindy Kiro official portrait October 2021 (cropped).jpg	Dame Cindy Kiro (born 1958)	21 October 2021	Incumbent	Template:Age in years and days		Jacinda Ardern
						Charles III	Template:Zwsp
							Chris Hipkins
							Christopher Luxon

External links

• Official Website of the Governor-General of New Zealand
• A history of the Governor-General in New Zealand
• Rulers.org: Extensive list of Governors-General of New Zealand