Australian PM Anthony Albanese tied the knot with his partner and fiancรฉe Jodie Haydon in Canberra during an intimate wedding ceremony. “We are absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together,” Albanese said in a statement.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese married his partner and fiancรฉe Jodie Haydon in an intimate ceremony at Canberra on Saturday, November 29. Albanese has become the first Australian PM to tie the knot while in office in the history of the Australian Federal government.
The ceremony took place in the afternoon and was a private one with just around 60 members in attendance. This included Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe and several cabinet ministers. There was no media reporting of the wedding until it happened at The Lodge. The couple were married by a civil celebrant.
“We are absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together, in front of our family and closest friends,” Albanese said in a statement after the marriage.
Albanese had proposed Haydon on Valentine’s Day in 2024 at The Lodge. He had become the first Aussie PM to get engaged while in office. “It is such a joy to be able to share this news with people, and itโs wonderful that I found a partner whom I want to spend the rest of my life with. Last night was a very great occasion here at the Lodge. We couldnโt be happier,” Albanese had said after his engagement.
Who is Jodie Haydon? When did she meet Albanese?
Jodie Haydon is a women’s advocate and a financial services professional. Born in 1979, she grew up on the NSW Central Coast. Haydon spent 20 years working in the superannuation sector across banking and finance firms before transitioning into strategic leadership positions. She currently serves as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Teachers Mutual Bank. The two first met each other in 2020 at a business dinner in Melbourne, when Albanese was leader of the opposition.
Albanese, 62, who is divorced with an adult son, proposed to Haydon, 46, at The Lodge on Valentine’s Day last year. They initially planned a larger-scale wedding before the last election was scheduled to be held in May this year. Albanese had told a Sydney radio program he was considering inviting former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he considered a personal friend.
But the ruling centre-left Labour Party strategists feared a lavish wedding during a cost-of-living crisis could hurt the government’s chances of being re-elected for a second three-year term.
A decision was made to delay the wedding until after the election.