FILE PHOTO: Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia鈥檚 Labor Party is accompanied by his partner Jodie Haydon while he addresses his supporters after incumbent Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader聽Scott Morrison conceded defeat in the country鈥檚 general election,聽in Sydney, Australia May 21, 2022. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy/File Photo
Sydney, Australia聽 鈥� Australia鈥檚 prime minister,聽Anthony Albanese, revealed in a romantic tweet Thursday his engagement to girlfriend Jodie Haydon.
鈥淪he said yes,鈥� the 60-year-old Albanese posted to social media platform X, alongside a love-heart emoji.
Beneath the announcement, he posted a selfie, reportedly taken on Valentine鈥檚 Day, of the pair smiling into the lens.
Haydon is dressed in emerald green and has her hand resting on his chest, an engagement ring visible on her finger.
The prime minister, in a light-blue collared shirt, is beaming.
Albanese, who met Haydon at a Melbourne business dinner in 2020, is the first Australian prime minister to get engaged while in office, public broadcaster ABC reported.
鈥淟ove is a beautiful thing. I鈥檓 so happy for you both!鈥� Foreign Minister Penny Wong posted.
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Congratulations quickly flooded in from others including Australian politicians and English celebrity chef Nigella Lawson.
A smattering of online critics suggested Albanese was trying to distract from pressing issues including the war in Gaza.
Albanese, nicknamed Albo, joined the centre-left Labor Party while in high school and later became deeply involved in the bruising world of student politics at the University of Sydney
He was sworn in as prime minister in May 2022.
The Australian leader was elected to parliament in 1996, and in his first speech thanked his mother, Maryanne Ellery, for raising him in tough circumstances.
The pair lived in public housing in Sydney during Albanese鈥檚 childhood and his single mother often struggled to make ends meet.