Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his engagement to his partner Jodie Haydon on Thursday. Sharing a Instagram post Albanese shared picture with Haydon and revealed that she accepted his proposal on Valentine's Day. With this announcement Albanese becomes the first PM to be engaged while in office.
According to a report in AP, Albanese and Jodie Haydon, a financial services professional, have been together for three years. The PM said he proposed on a balcony of his official residence, known as the Lodge. Later going to a Italian restaurant for a romantic dinner.
The news agency also revealed that Albanese carefully planned both the date and location of the proposal, going as far as to assist in designing Haydon's diamond ring. However, uncertainty looms over the wedding date as he juggles planning with the possibility of scheduling Australia's next election, slated anywhere between August and May next year.
Sharing image on Instagram which read "She said yes."
“We’ll now have those discussions between us, which I think people would understand, and sort out those details, but we just want to live in the moment at this point,” Albanese told reporters at a short news conference on a lawn outside the Lodge.
He added, "It is such a joy to be able to share this news with people and it’s wonderful I found a partner who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Last night was a very great occasion here at the Lodge. We couldn’t be more happy."
Haydon also thanked friends, family and strangers for their messages of congratulation. “It’s just been overwhelming, but beautiful,” Haydon said to AP.
Albanese becomes the second prime minister to be at the Lodge with a common-law partner, following in the footsteps of Julia Gillard, who held office from 2010 to 2013. Gillard's partner's unusual circumstances reportedly caused delays in Indonesia issuing him a visa during her official visit to the country in 2011.
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