A small town kid from Georgetown, PEI, who once wrote community newspaper features, became the 33rd Premier of Prince Edward Island and today represents Canada in Ireland. That kid is Dennis King.
Dennis was born on November 1, 1971 (54 years old) in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island. King is a Canadian politician, diplomat, journalist, author, and storyteller.
King has guided the province through some of its stormiest chapters, from post-tropical storms Dorian and Fiona to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, he led the PCs to a commanding majority with nearly 60 per cent of the popular vote, a rare feat in modern Island politics.
Off the political stage, he is a beloved Island storyteller and the author of two small-town story collections, The Day They Shot Reveen and The Legend of Bubby Stevens.
Quick Facts of Dennis King
| Full Name | Dennis “Denny” King |
| Profession | Politician, Diplomat, Journalist, Author, Storyteller |
| Age | 54 years old |
| Date of Birth | November 1, 1971 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Scorpio |
| Birthplace | Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Current Address | Brookfield, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Gender | Male |
Dennis King Early Life and Education
Dennis King was born and raised in the small township of Georgetown Royalty in Kings County, Prince Edward Island. He is the third of eight children in a large Island family.
His father, Lionel MacKenzie King, was a labourer who worked in a shipyard, hauled garbage, and sold seaweed by the truckload. Lionel passed away in 1996.
His mother is Catherine “Cattie” Rachel Stevens. Dennis grew up alongside three brothers and four sisters, though their names have not been publicly shared.
Education
Dennis King graduated from Montague Regional High School in 1990. He then moved off the Island to study journalism in Ontario before returning home to begin his career.
The exact name of the Ontario journalism institution he attended has not been publicly confirmed in reliable sources. That detail is yet to be updated.
| School | Montague Regional High School |
| Alma Mater | Yet to be updated |
| Highest Qualification | Postsecondary studies in journalism |
Dennis King Personal Life
Dennis King has been married to Jana Hemphill since 1999. They celebrated their 20th anniversary the day after the 2019 PEI provincial election.
Wife
His wife, Jana Hemphill, is a Prince Edward Island-born writer and journalist. She owns and operates Storybook Adventures, a 24-acre farm in Brookfield, PEI, that offers horse riding lessons and boarding facilities.
The farm is home to horses, cows, sheep, chickens, llamas, donkeys, and other animals.
Jana also serves as director of Sadie’s Place, a registered charity that helps unwanted and neglected horses on the Island.
Children
Dennis and Jana have three children. Their daughter is Camdyn King, and their sons are Callum King and Jacob “Jake” Hemphill.
Father
Dennis King’s father was Lionel MacKenzie King. He worked in the local shipyard, hauled garbage, and sold seaweed as a labourer in Kings County, PEI.
Lionel passed away in 1996, just before Dennis began his communications career in the provincial government.
Mother
His mother is Catherine “Cattie” Rachel Stevens. Further details about her professional or personal life are yet to be updated.
Siblings
Dennis is the third of eight children, with three brothers and four sisters. Their names and further details are yet to be updated.
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Wife | Jana Hemphill |
| Children | Daughter: Camdyn King Sons: Callum King and Jacob “Jake” Hemphill |
| Parents | Father: Lionel MacKenzie King Mother: Catherine “Cattie” Rachel Stevens |
| Siblings | Yet to be updated |
Dennis King Career
Dennis King’s career began in the newsroom and slowly grew into public affairs, storytelling, and elected politics. Journalism shaped his voice and gave him the ear for Island stories that later defined his political style.
Early 1990s: Reporter at The Eastern Graphic
After finishing his journalism studies in Ontario, Dennis King returned to Prince Edward Island and joined The Eastern Graphic, a Montague-based weekly newspaper owned by Island Press Limited. It was his first full-time job in journalism.
He worked closely with long-time editor and publisher Paul MacNeill, along with fellow Eastern Graphic staff like Heather Moore and Myron Yates. King reported on rural PEI, small-town events, community issues, and hyperlocal politics.
Mid to late 1990s: Editor of Island Farmer and Atlantic Fish Farming
King later became editor of Island Farmer, a biweekly agricultural publication also owned by Island Press Limited.
In this role, he oversaw stories about PEI’s farming families, potato producers, dairy operations, and rural policy issues.
He also edited Atlantic Fish Farming, a trade publication that covered the region’s growing aquaculture industry. His editorial work in agricultural and fisheries reporting earned him several journalism awards over the years.
1990s: News reporter at CFCY Radio and CBC Radio political panelist
Alongside his print work, King spent one year as a news reporter for Charlottetown radio station CFCY. This gave him his first experience in daily broadcast journalism.
He then became a regular commentator on a well-known CBC Radio political panel, providing analysis on provincial politics. The panel often featured publisher Paul MacNeill and other Island commentators.
Reporting for The Guardian
During his early media career, King also worked as a reporter for The Guardian, the daily newspaper based in Charlottetown.
This kept him tied to island-wide news coverage while he continued to file for other outlets.
2013: Founding King Strategy Group and joining M5
In 2013, Dennis King launched his own communications firm called King Strategy Group.
It provided marketing, public relations, and strategic communications work for Island clients.
He later joined forces with public affairs company M5 to expand his strategic advisory work for a wider client base.
2013 onward: UPEI Panthers hockey play-by-play announcer
Fulfilling what he called a childhood dream, King became the livestream play-by-play announcer for the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers men’s hockey team around 2013. Hockey and baseball have been lifelong passions for him.
His broadcast role at UPEI blended sport, storytelling, and community, and it gave him a growing on-air presence beyond politics and news.
2014: Festival of Small Halls debut and The Four Tellers
In 2014, King made his stage debut as a storyteller at the PEI Mutual Festival of Small Halls, performing alongside beloved Island storyteller David Weale. That collaboration quickly grew into a full ensemble.
He then co-founded The Four Tellers with David Weale, Gary Evans, and Alan Buchanan. Their sold-out live shows across PEI made them one of the most popular acts on the Island.
2015: Wins Best Feature Story at the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards
At the 2015 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards, Dennis King won Best Feature Story for a piece titled “The Gift,” published in the December 17, 2014, issue of The Eastern Graphic.
The story followed the UPEI Panthers men’s hockey team as they bonded with seven-year-old Cayden McGuigan and his family.
The Panthers had hosted a benefit game for the McGuigan family after Cayden’s father, Brendon McGuigan, and grandfather, Brent McGuigan, were killed in a shooting on St Mary’s Road, PEI. The story remains one of King’s most acclaimed works of journalism.
King self-published his first book, The Day They Shot Reveen: And Other Stories from Small Town PEI, in 2016.
It draws from his upbringing in Georgetown Royalty and features humorous small-town characters and events. He followed with The Legend of Bubby Stevens: More Stories from a PEI Small Town in 2017.
Both books cemented his reputation as one of PEI’s leading contemporary storytellers.
1996 to 2007: Government communications under Premier Pat Binns
In 1996, after Pat Binns and the Progressive Conservatives won the provincial election, King moved into public service.
He was first hired as a communications officer for the Department of Transportation and Public Works.
He later moved to a similar role in the Department of Development and Technology.
He then became executive assistant and Director of Communications for Premier Pat Binns, a role that ended with the PC defeat in the May 28, 2007, election.
2007 to 2013: Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI
In July 2007, Dennis King became Director of Communications and Business Development at the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island.
Over six years, he worked closely with the Island’s First Nations communities on economic and outreach initiatives.
Before 2019: PEI Seafood Processors Association
Before entering elected politics, King served as Executive Director of the PEI Seafood Processors Association. The nonprofit represents the Island’s third-largest industry.
February 2019: Elected Leader of the PC Party of PEI
On February 9, 2019, Dennis King won the Progressive Conservative Party of PEI leadership on the second ballot at the party convention in Charlottetown. He replaced James Aylward, who had resigned in September 2018.
King entered the race as the second of five candidates and launched his campaign at the King’s Playhouse in his hometown of Georgetown.
April 2019: Elected MLA and won a provincial minority
On April 23, 2019, King and the PCs won 12 seats.
He personally won his seat in Brackley Hunter River, defeating the Green Party led by Peter Bevan Baker and the Liberals under outgoing Premier Wade MacLauchlan.
It was the first three-party race in PEI history and the first provincial minority government since the 1890s.
May 2019 to April 2023: 33rd Premier of PEI (First Term)
Dennis King was sworn in as the 33rd Premier of Prince Edward Island on May 9, 2019, by Lieutenant Governor Antoinette Perry. His first cabinet included Deputy Premier Darlene Compton.
His first term was marked by post-tropical storm Dorian in 2019, post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022, and the COVID-19 pandemic. King topped Leger’s late 2020 premier approval poll across nearly every category.
April 2023 to February 2025: Second Term with a large majority
On April 3, 2023, King and the PCs were re-elected in an early election with 22 seats and nearly 60 per cent of the popular vote. Bloyce Thompson was appointed Deputy Premier for the second term.
His second term focused on climate action, wind energy, and a 2040 net-zero pledge. King also joined the Atlantic premiers in campaigning against federal carbon pricing.
February 2025: Resignation as Premier
On February 20, 2025, Dennis King announced his resignation as Premier, PC Leader, and MLA, effective at 1:00 p.m. AST on February 21, 2025. He cited the incoming US tariff war under Donald Trump, sovereignty concerns, and personal exhaustion.
He was succeeded as interim leader and Premier by Rob Lantz, and as MLA for Brackley Hunter River by Kent Dollar through a by-election on August 12, 2025.
March 2025 to present: Canadian Ambassador to Ireland
On March 3, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office announced Dennis King as Canada’s Ambassador to Ireland. He succeeded Nancy Smyth in the diplomatic post.
He now serves from Dublin, working on trade, sovereignty, and cultural ties between Canada and Ireland.
Dennis King Awards and Achievements
Dennis King has been recognised for both his journalism and his climate leadership as Premier of Prince Edward Island.
Major wins
- Best Feature Story, Canadian Community Newspaper Awards (2015).
- Honoured on the Clean50 list for his climate leadership as Premier of PEI.
- Led the Progressive Conservative Party of PEI to two consecutive election wins (2019 minority and 2023 majority).
- Topped Leger’s national premier approval poll in December 2020 across nearly every category, including trustworthiness, transparency, communication, and compassion.
Dennis King Controversy
2023 anti trans comments on the campaign trail: During the 2023 provincial election, King initially appeared to agree with anti trans comments made by a citizen at a campaign event. He later apologised and reaffirmed his government’s support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Health PEI political interference allegations (2024): In January 2024, former Health PEI CEO Dr. Michael Gardam alleged that King’s office had interfered in his work at the province’s health agency. King publicly denied the accusations in a CBC interview.
Dennis King Net Worth
Details about Dennis King’s net worth and annual salary are yet to be updated.
| Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.) | Yet to be updated |
| Salary (Approx.) | yet to be updated |
Dennis King Height, Weight & Physical Stats
Below are the physical stats of Dennis King:
| Height | In centimetres: Yet to be updated In meters: Yet to be updated In feet & inches: Yet to be updated |
| Weight | In kg: Yet to be updated In lbs: Yet to be updated |
| Body Measurements | Yet to be updated |
| Hair Color | Salt and pepper |
| Eye Color | Blue |
Dennis King Instagram, X, LinkedIn
 @denniskingpc | |
| X |  @dennyking |
 @denniskingpei |
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FAQs
Who is Dennis King?
Dennis King is a Canadian politician, journalist, and author who served as the 33rd Premier of Prince Edward Island and is currently Canada’s Ambassador to Ireland.
How old is Dennis King?
Dennis King is 54 years old. He was born on November 1, 1971, in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island.
Is Dennis King married?
Yes, Dennis King has been married to Jana Hemphill since 1999.
How many children does Dennis King have
Dennis King has three children: daughter Camdyn King and sons Callum King and Jacob “Jake” Hemphill.
Why did Dennis King resign as Premier of PEI?
Dennis King resigned on February 21, 2025, citing the incoming Trump administration’s tariff threats, concerns for Canadian sovereignty, and personal exhaustion after nearly six years as Premier.
What is Dennis King doing now?
Dennis King currently serves as Canada’s Ambassador to Ireland, a post he took up on March 3, 2025.
Has Dennis King written any books?
Yes, Dennis King has self-published The Day They Shot Reveen (2016) and The Legend of Bubby Stevens (2017), both humorous short story collections about small-town PEI.
Where did Dennis King go to school?
Dennis King graduated from Montague Regional High School in 1990 and later studied journalism in Ontario.
