TL;DR
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made history as the first leader to marry while in office, tying the knot with Jodie Haydon at his official residence in Canberra.
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The intimate ceremony included 60 guests, featuring their dog as the ring bearer and a flower girl, while the couple expressed their joy through personal vows.
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Following their wedding, Albanese and Haydon will honeymoon in Australia, with all expenses privately covered by the couple.
Australia’s Anthony Albanese gets married – and makes history as country’s first prime minister to wed in office | World News
The Australian prime minister has married his partner, becoming the first leader to tie the knot while in office in the government’s history.
Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon were married by a civil celebrant in an intimate ceremony at his official residence in the capital, Canberra, on Saturday.
The couple, who wrote their own vows, had their dog Toto as ring bearer, while Ms Haydon’s five-year-old niece, Ella, was flower girl.
Cabinet ministers were among about 60 guests who attended the afternoon ceremony.
“We are absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together, in front of our family and closest friends,” a statement from the newlyweds said.
And sharing photos in a post on social media, Mr Albanese added: “I love you, Jodie.”
Mr Albanese, 62, who is divorced with an adult son, is the first prime minister to get married while in office in the Australian government’s 124-year history.
He proposed to Ms Haydon, 46, who works in finance, on Valentine’s Day last year, after meeting her at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020.
Mr Albanese’s Labor Party won the last election, held in May, to gain his second three-year term.
The couple had initially planned a larger-scale wedding before the election, but delayed plans as party strategists feared a lavish ceremony during a cost-of-living crisis could hurt the government’s chances of being re-elected.
The prime minister’s office said the couple will now honeymoon in Australia from Monday until Friday of next week, with all expenses paid privately by the couple.