Eliza Reid
Eliza Reid is an author, advocate, and former First Lady of Iceland who champions gender equality, civic leadership, and the power of seizing opportunity. As founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, she fosters creative exchange across cultures. Her work blends storytelling and public service, inspiring individuals to make the most of unexpected opportunities.
Former First Lady of Iceland
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Writers Retreat Co-Founder
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Bestselling Author
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Former First Lady of Iceland • Writers Retreat Co-Founder • Bestselling Author •
More about Eliza
Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. She continues to speak at events around the world, delivering inspiring keynotes on topics relating to gender equality, how to make an impact when you’re not in charge, and storytelling for social change. She has served as moderator for politicians and other world leaders such as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Ashley Judd and acclaimed authors including Louise Penny and Anthony Horowitz.
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Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death on the Island (Death of a Diplomat in the UK) was an instant USA Today bestseller, an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, and has been optioned for television in a pre-empt deal. Her next book, The First Lady Next Door: A Memoir of Iceland, Identity, and Unexpected Adventure will be published in May 2026.
Eliza’s advocacy in the field of gender equality has been praised by former U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, and numerous others. She has also been honoured with awards from the Better World Fund, Meet in Reykjavík, and the Institute for South Asian Women.
Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.
Speaking Topics
Geopolitics
Culture
Watch Eliza in action
Presentations
Secrets of the Sprakkar
What do a fishing captain who does standup, women who swam the English Channel, and a small-town Canadian turned First Lady have in common? They’re all Icelandic “sprakkar”—extraordinary women. In this funny, insightful talk based on Eliza Reid’s bestselling Secrets of the Sprakkar, discover their stories and how empowering women drives equality and benefits entire communities.
Making the Most of Unexpected Opportunity
Eliza Reid grew up in small-town Canada and never imagined that a whimsical contest entry for a date with a fellow Oxford grad student would lead to becoming Iceland’s First Lady. In this entertaining talk, she shares behind-the-scenes moments, reflecting on navigating an undefined public role, challenging expectations, and inspiring audiences to seize unexpected opportunities and to shape their own stories.
“Study after study, time after time, proves that the more gender-equal a society is, the happier, longer living, and more economically prosperous it is for all its citizens.”
– Eliza Reid