Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has made national history by becoming the first sitting leader to marry while in office. The 62-year-old tied the knot with his partner, Jodie Haydon, in a private garden ceremony at The Lodge, his official residence in Canberra, on Saturday.
The intimate event, attended by close family and friends, marked a significant personal milestone for the prime minister, who proposed on Valentine’s Day in 2024. In a brief celebratory message on social media, Albanese simply wrote “Married”, sharing a video of himself in a bow tie walking hand-in-hand with his smiling bride as confetti rained down.
In a joint statement released shortly after, the couple said:
“We are absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together, in front of our family and closest friends.”
The ceremony was simple and personal. The pair wrote their own vows, and Albanese’s cavoodle, Toto, served as the ring bearer, adding charm to the already warm occasion. Afterward, guests enjoyed beer from a Sydney brewery and watched the couple walk down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s classic “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”
The newlyweds are scheduled to begin a five-day honeymoon within Australia on Monday.
Albanese, who secured a second three-year term in a landslide victory earlier this year, divorced his previous wife in 2019 and has an adult son, Nathan. He met Haydon more than five years ago during a business dinner in Melbourne.
His journey in public service began early—joining the Labour Party in high school before diving into student politics at the University of Sydney. Today’s ceremony adds a rare personal chapter to the long career of Australia’s centre-left leader.
AFP
