Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has married his partner Jodie Haydon, becoming the first sitting Australian leader to wed while in office. The ceremony took place on Saturday afternoon at The Lodge in Canberra, a day after parliament wrapped up its final sitting of the year.
In a brief statement, Albanese said the couple were “absolutely delighted to share our love and commitment to spending our future lives together, in front of our family and closest friends.” The marriage follows their Valentine’s Day engagement last year, also held at The Lodge.
The event was kept tightly under wraps to avoid security issues and disruptions. Guests included Haydon’s parents and Albanese’s son Nathan. Toto, the prime minister’s dog, served as ring bearer.
Footage shared on Albanese’s official accounts showed the newlyweds walking down the aisle under a shower of confetti. They exited to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” and later shared their first dance to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight.”
Several cabinet ministers attended the private ceremony. Custom-made beer cans featuring the couple’s engagement photo were part of the reception touches.
Albanese, 62, and Haydon, 47, first met at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020 while he was opposition leader. Haydon later appeared prominently during the 2022 and 2025 election campaigns and accompanied him at several major state events.
The newlyweds will take a short Australian honeymoon from Monday to Friday, scaled back due to the prime minister’s schedule.
