Australian prime minister Albanese becomes first to wed in office

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has married his partner Jodie Hayden, becoming the country’s first leader to marry while in office.

The pair tied the knot in the capital Canberra on Saturday afternoon local time – the day after the final meeting of the parliamentary year.

“We are extremely happy to share our love and commitment to spend our future together in front of our family and close friends,” Albanese said in a brief statement.

The couple got engaged last year on Valentine’s Day. Both the Labor leader’s proposal and the wedding reception took place at his official residence, The Lodge.

Until the big day, wedding plans were kept a secret due to concerns about security and potential disruptions.

In attendance were Ms Hayden’s parents as well as Albanese’s son from his previous marriage.

Albanese’s dog Toto served as ring bearer while the couple walked down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”

The Prime Minister also shared a video on his official social media account showing the happy couple walking down the aisle as guests showered them with confetti.

The ceremony was attended by several of Albanese’s cabinet ministers.

At the reception, their first dance was to The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra.

The ceremony also featured custom-made beer cans printed with the image used to announce their engagement.

The couple are due to go on honeymoon to Australia on Monday and Friday next week – plans were canceled after his re-election in May.

Mr Albanese, 62, and Ms Hayden, 47, first met at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020, when she was opposition leader.

Ms Hayden appeared during Albanese’s 2022 and 2025 election campaigns, and was seen with the prime minister at major events including the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and a state dinner hosted by former US President Joe Biden.

Albanese also made Australian history by becoming the first Prime Minister to be engaged while in office.

The couple said in a joint statement at the time that they were “so lucky to find each other”.