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 the United Kingdom 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.
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.
37 people - 33 men and 4 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