Anthony Albanese’s lover Jodie Haydon has taken over as the chief patron of the National Portrait Gallery – replacing Jenny Morrison.
The position is a customary honour for prime ministerial spouses and Ms Haydon’s appointment was revealed when the PM released his register of interests this week.
The National Portrait Gallery’s website still had Jenny Morrison in the role before being updated on Thursday morning.
Mr Albanese’s partner has been a visible presence since he was elected to office.
Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon. She has been appointed the chief patron of the National Portrait Gallery
The position is a customary honour for prime ministerial spouses and Ms Haydon is replacing Jenny Morrison (pictured)
Earlier this month, Ms Haydon and Mr Albanese were spotted living it up as they enjoyed a holiday in Broome just 11 weeks into the job.
He was spotted kayaking and admiring artwork before the couple enjoyed a romantic dinner at a fancy oyster bar.
The seafood restaurant uploaded a photo to their Facebook page of Mr Albanese standing alongside restaurant staff and wrote about the ‘pleasurable’ experience they had hosting him.
The holiday came after Ms Haydon revealed in July the moment she knew she was in love with Mr Albanese.
She said she knew she was in love when she got the harrowing news he’d been a serious car crash.
Mr Albanese’s ‘secret weapon’ broke her silence in her first television interview where she candidly spilled the beans on her two year relationship with the Prime Minister and the lasting impression Emmanuel Macron and his wife left on her during a recent meeting.
Anthony Albanese (centre with restaurant staff) has been pictured holidaying in Broome, Western Australia. He and partner Jodie Haydon enjoyed a romantic dinner at the fancy Sydney Cove Oyster Bar at Cable Beach on Sunday night
Anthony Albanese is greeted by Emmanuel Macron along with their partners Jodie Haydon and Brigitte Macron at Elysee Palace
The financial advisor had been dating the then Opposition Leader for barely a year when his car was wiped out by a Range Rover driven by a P-plater metres away from his home in Sydney ‘s inner-west in January 2021.
Mr Albanese was rushed to hospital with extensive injuries.
‘When I got to the accident and I saw the car before I saw Anthony, and I remember thinking at the time, ‘this can’t end well’,’ Ms Haydon told 7 News Spotlight.
‘And that overwhelming sense of ‘what if I lose him?’ And I knew then that, yeah, I love him. And I love him deeply.’
Mr Albanese also opened up on the crash.
‘I thought that was it. That is how it ends, it seemed like it took a long time, it was just a matter of seconds. But I thought that was the end,’ he recalled.
He was also shown his partner’s recollection of the accident.
‘She is an amazing woman,’ he responded.
When asked if it was love, he replied: ‘Yes, I am very lucky.’
Ms Haydon has embraced her new role as Australia’s unofficial First Lady and accompanied Mr Albanese on his recent trip to Europe, where she struck an instant connection with Brigitte Macron, the French president’s wife.
The pair first met in Madrid while their partners attended the NATO Summit before meeting again in Paris several days later.
‘I was fortunate enough to have met a couple of days earlier when we were in Madrid and from the moment I met her, she was so warm and friendly and took my hand and said so nice to meet you. Straight away I felt comfortable with her,’ Ms Haydon said
When the two couples met up in Paris again two days later, President Macron famously took her hand.
‘It is very French. Anthony doesn’t do that, I might have to have a word to him about it! They were both wonderful,’ Ms Haydon laughed.