Family man Christopher 'LOVE IS MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT'

The National Party’s new leader tells why soulmate Amanda gets his vote

- Marilynn McLachlan

New Zealanders are used to seeing Christopher Luxon in the boardroom or the political halls of power – first in his role as CEO of Air New Zealand and now as the Leader of the Opposition party. But back when he was a teenager, it was his performance on the dance floor that won the heart of Amanda, his wife of 28 years.

“I took him on a date to an aerobics class,” laughs Amanda. “And then we did ballroom dancing to prepare for our university ball. The teacher said he had rhythm and I couldn’t believe she was saying that about him when I had done ballet for years. But that’s what clinched it for me!”

Sitting down for a chat with the Weekly at their Auckland home, it’s clear there’s a lot of love between the pair, who met when Christopher was just 15 years old, and Amanda was 17, at a youth group dinner. “I wouldn’t date him until he left school,” smiles Amanda.

Chimes in Christopher, “I just thought she was stunningly beautiful. But more importantly, she was just a very grounded person, and wise and funny. She’s driven, disciplined and just very honest.

“I was slightly younger, so getting Amanda to date and marry me is without a doubt the greatest achievement of my life. Since then, one of us has aged really badly!”

They started dating when Christopher was 19 and wed when he was 23 at St Andrew’s College chapel in Christchurch.