Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed he briefly considered marrying Jodie Haydon in a secret ceremony on Valentine’s Day this year. 

Speaking on Brisbane radio on Tuesday morning, just hours before the Budget was handed down, Mr Albanese said he considered eloping with his fiancée when parliament adjourned last month. 

‘We did think about it, I’ve got to say, on the (one-year) anniversary, really quietly, just doing it to stop speculation,’ Mr Albanese told B105.

‘But we decided that might get some speculation as well, so we didn’t. (But) I did think about doing it really quietly.

‘The wedding will be in the second half of the year, it won’t be elaborate. The only thing that’s finalised is our ring bearer. And that, of course, is Toto the wonder dog.’

Earlier this year, Mr Albanese told the Australian Women’s Weekly that he had asked for the support of his 24-year-old son Nathan prior to popping the question.

Nathan is the child of Mr Albanese and his ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt, a former NSW Deputy Premier.

‘I respect him and have a good relationship with him, and with his mother. So I asked him to think about it… and he was supportive. He wants me to be happy, and Nathan and Jodie have a really nice relationship as well,’ Mr Albanese said. 

Anthony Albanese said in a new radio interview he has considered secretly marrying Jodie Haydon on Valentine's Day this year but eventually decided against it

Anthony Albanese said in a new radio interview he has considered secretly marrying Jodie Haydon on Valentine’s Day this year but eventually decided against it

Mr Albanese is the first Australian leader to get engaged while in office. It's understood he proposed with a ring specifically designed for Ms Haydon

Mr Albanese is the first Australian leader to get engaged while in office. It’s understood he proposed with a ring specifically designed for Ms Haydon

He said one major difference between himself and Ms Haydon had became apparent as they discussed the guest list – the size of their extended families.

‘Growing up, there was just me and my mum. I haven’t got any brothers or sisters. I’ve got one really close relative, my son Nathan, and I cherish that relationship – we’re great mates,’ the Prime Minister said. 

He said his six first cousins were vastly outnumbered by those of Ms Haydon who ‘has hundreds … well, there must be 70 at least’. 

Mr Albanese and Ms Haydon conceded the pressures of the country’s top job had thrown up challenges in their relationship.

However he said frequent travel away and long hours were problems faced by many couples, such as those in FIFO jobs, and the important thing was they ‘made the most of their time together’ when work commitments allowed.

Ms Haydon is an executive for Teachers Mutual Bank, which she said has been very supportive of her high-profile role as Australia’s de facto ‘First Lady’.

Her work ethic was learned, she said, through her mother and grandmother who were both schoolteachers.

The Prime Minister said Toto would be the ring bearer for his wedding later this year but other than that the couple have not decided on any details

The Prime Minister said Toto would be the ring bearer for his wedding later this year but other than that the couple have not decided on any details

Mr Albanese said he asked for the support of his son Nathan, 24, before popping the question to Ms Haydon (pictured with Nathan's mother and Mr Albanese's ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt)

Mr Albanese said he asked for the support of his son Nathan, 24, before popping the question to Ms Haydon (pictured with Nathan’s mother and Mr Albanese’s ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt)

She credits them with instilling belief in her potential and that she ‘never felt held back as a woman when it comes to the workforce’.

It was at a work conference in 2020 where Ms Haydon met Mr Albanese – who was then opposition leader to the Scott Morrison government. 

He had asked if there were any South Sydney NRL fans in the audience, at which Ms Haydon yelled out the team’s catch cry of ‘up the Rabbitohs’.

‘We met up for a drink… it’s a nice relationship,’ he said of their first date.

The following year he was seriously injured in a car crash when a Range Rover crossed onto the wrong side of the road and smashed into his car in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville.

Ms Haydon got a call and raced to the scene to see the car written off, but Mr Albanese alive. 

‘And I knew then that, yeah, I loved him,’ she said. 

Planning for the pair’s wedding has been brief, as Mr Albanese’s main focus over the next few weeks will be his campaign for a second term as prime minister.

‘Anthony isn’t a big fan of unnecessary shopping,’ Ms Haydon said. 

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