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History

An image of the family of Sir Bernard Fergusson, Lady Laura Fergusson and son Geordie at Government House in Wellington in the early 1960s
Sir Bernard Fergusson, Lady Laura Fergusson and son Geordie at Government House in Wellington in the early 1960s

Find out how the role of Governor-General has evolved from 1840 until the present day.

Our earliest Governors and Governors-General came from England but as we have grown and changed as a country, so have our Vice-regal representatives. 

In this section. we'll tell you a little more about each of the people who has served a term in our highest office and also take a look at how the role has changed over the years.

 

In this section

  • New Zealand's Governor-General - an historical perspective

    Since 1840, when William Hobson was appointed as the first Governor, the role of the Governor-General has changed as New Zealand has evolved from a dependent colony to an independent nation.

  • Former Governors-General

    36 people - 33 men and 3 women- have held the Vice-regal office in New Zealand since Captain William Hobson became Lieutenant-Governor in 1840. This timeline tells the story of each of them. The title of Governor-General has only been used since

  • Changing attitudes to the monarchy

    Historian Gavin McLean was something of a vice-regal expert. His book "The Governors" was the definitive history of the men and women who served as the representatives of New Zealand's Head of State. In this essay, he cast his eye of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and how the monarchy is viewed by New Zealanders.
Last updated: 
Monday, 27 February 2017

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