Australia: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become the first sitting leader in the nation’s 124-year federal history to marry while in office, tying the knot with his partner Jodie Haydon in a private ceremony at The Lodge in Canberra on Saturday.
The pair exchanged vows in an intimate afternoon celebration attended by around 60 guests, with no prior media access and the event disclosed only after the ceremony concluded. Among those present were several cabinet ministers and actor Russell Crowe, who joined the couple for their milestone moment.
In a joint statement, the newlyweds 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 featured personal touches throughout: the couple wrote their own vows, their dog Toto served as the ring bearer, and Haydon’s young niece Ella, aged five, walked as the flower girl.
Albanese, 62, proposed to Haydon, 46, on Valentine’s Day last year at the same residence. Initial plans for a larger wedding were shelved amid concerns from Labor Party strategists that a high-profile celebration during a period of economic pressure could send the wrong message ahead of the May election. Instead, the couple opted to postpone their wedding until after Parliament wrapped up for the year—holding the ceremony just two days after its final sitting.
The prime minister had once casually mentioned he hoped to invite former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, a personal friend, but the scaled-down event reflected the couple’s preference for a quiet, low-key gathering.
Albanese and Haydon first met at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020. Since then, she has frequently accompanied him at public and official events, becoming a well-known presence alongside the PM.
With the historic wedding now complete, the couple plans to resume their public duties after a brief period of private celebration.
