Jacinda Ardern, former leader of New Zealand, is now Dame Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern was awarded the title of dame for service to New Zealand on Monday, barely four months after ending her term as prime minister, during which she became the global face of a compassionate brand of liberal politics.

The award — Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit — is the country’s second highest honor and was awarded as part of an annual tradition of awarding honors for the King’s birthday. The honorees are usually chosen by the Prime Minister and approved by the British monarch, King Charles III, New Zealand’s head of state.

Ms Ardern said she was “humiliated” by the award and had initially considered turning it down.

“So much of the things we’ve been through as a nation over the past five years have been about all of us rather than one individual,” she said in a statement. family, my colleagues and the people who have supported me in taking on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life.”

The former prime minister, who can now call herself Dame Jacinda Ardern, was recognized in part for her role in the country’s response to the deadly terrorist attacks in the city of Christchurch in March 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic – “some of the biggest challenges what our country has faced in modern times,” said her successor, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Ms Ardern, he said, had shown an “absolute” commitment to New Zealand.

In January Ms Ardern, 42, said she would be stepping down from office, a surprise announcement that came nine months before the general election. She cited exhaustion as the cause, saying she no longer had the “full tank plus a little reserve” needed for the role. The decision came as her centre-left Labor party struggled in the polls.

Since her resignation, Ms Ardern has continued to work unpaid on the New Zealand government’s response to online extremism and terrorism. She is also a board member of Prince William’s Earthshot environmental award, launching later this year two scholarships at Harvard University.

Mrs Ardern joins her immediate predecessors as Prime Minister – Sir Bill English and Sir John Key – by joining the Order of Merit.

The country’s highest honour, the Order of New Zealand, was presented to Queen Camilla on Monday, in keeping with New Zealand tradition. Members of that order, which is limited to 20 recipients, include two former prime ministers, Helen Clark and Jim Bolger.