Jacinda Ardern channels Kate Middleton's style in Kiwi designer's gown on UK visit

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern channelled Kate Middleton's style for a visit to the British PM Boris Johnson.

Ardern, 41, wore a £1550 ($3027) Emilia Wickstead midi dress with nude heels, in an almost identical look to the one worn by Kate on a royal tour of India in 2016.

She even wore her hair in a similar style to Kate with a blow-wave - though the hairstyle is one of her own signature looks.

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The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Wickstead design on a visit to India and Bhutan in 2016 at a UK Government Great campaign event in Mumbai, pairing it with light pink heels.

Ardern wore a version of the dress for her meeting at Downing Street, with one difference - her collar was pointed instead of round.

She also appeared on ITV's Lorraine that morning to talk politics, motherhood and the return of tourism to New Zealand.

Aotearoa went into one of the world's strictest lockdowns when the pandemic hit, restricting nearly all travel in and out of the country.

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Despite facing criticism from some over the restrictions, Ardern has defended the rules for saving lives.

Now she's urged British tourists to visit New Zealand as quarantine-free travel is back.

"We're actually already open, anyone in the UK you can travel now. I'll put a plug in, your winter is our summer so make those plans," she said.

And speaking to the Scottish TV host, she continued: "Having been to Scotland, though, I can say summer is a little more summery in New Zealand, as much as I love places like Scotland.

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"I would like to think I can be objective, it [New Zealand] is just the most beautiful place.

"What I love as well is you can get that combination of being in cities but then being in close proximity to nature, beaches, amazing walks, nature tourism and now food and wine - it's hard to have a bad meal."

Ardern had previously visited Brussels, speaking to media along with the EU Commission's president Ursula von der Leyen after the EU and New Zealand agreed on a free trade deal.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.