Jacinda Ardern has sent a message to Grace Millane's family as they prepare to fly Grace home in the coming days.
The body of Grace, an English tourist travelling in New Zealand, was found in Auckland's Waitakere Ranges on Sunday and a man has been charged with her murder.
Speaking to media in Auckland today the Prime Minister said, "I sent a message to them, but I imagine that they’ll be very focused on taking Grace home".
Today's comments by Ms Ardern come after she fought back tears on Monday as she apologised to Grace's family over her death on behalf of New Zealand.
Yesterday, thousands of people gathered for 10 vigils held in nine different cities across the country in honour of Grace and women violently killed in New Zealand this year.
The English tourist went missing from central Auckland at the start of December, on the eve of her 22nd birthday.
Her body was found after an extensive search on Sunday.
A 26-year-old man charged with Grace's murder appeared in the Auckland District Court on Monday where he was granted interim name suppression.
Grace's father David and his brother are in New Zealand are will depart for the UK with her body this weekend.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was one of those to express sorrow at the 22-year-old’s death.
Police are continuing to appeal to the public to help locate a shovel, believed to be linked to the murder investigation, which has not yet been found.
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