Canberra, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made history on Saturday, becoming the country’s first sitting leader to marry while in office. The 62-year-old PM wed his long-time partner, financial services worker Jodie Haydon, in an intimate, private ceremony held in the garden of his official residence, The Lodge, in Canberra.
The wedding, a joyous affair attended by family and closest friends, included a moment that instantly captured the nation’s heart: the couple’s beloved cavoodle, Toto, served as the official ring bearer, faithfully delivering the wedding bands.
A beaming Mr. Albanese, who wore a bow-tie for the occasion, shared a one-word post—”Married”—on social media, accompanied by a video of confetti showering down as he held his smiling bride, who wore a stunning long, white dress.
The couple, who wrote their own vows and were married by a celebrant, expressed their delight in a joint statement: “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 culminated with the newlyweds walking down the aisle to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s classic hit, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).” Guests at the reception enjoyed beer from a popular Sydney brewery.
The marriage comes more than a year after the Prime Minister proposed to Ms. Haydon on Valentine’s Day 2024. The couple first met over five years ago at a business dinner in Melbourne.
The newlyweds are scheduled to depart on Monday for a five-day honeymoon within Australia. Mr. Albanese, who secured a second three-year term in office earlier this year, was previously divorced in 2019 and has an adult son, Nathan.
