‘All downhill from here, my darling’: PM’s one regret about US state dinner

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Washington: The White House was adorned with a large Australian flag. The decor inside was inspired by the shared landscapes of both countries. And guests arrived to a band playing an instrumental version of Crowded House’s hit Don’t Dream It’s Over.

Five months after abruptly cancelling a much-anticipated trip to Australia to deal with a looming debt crisis in Washington, US President Joe Biden gave Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the highest diplomatic honour reserved for an ally: a lavish state dinner.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon arrive at the White House for a state dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

After a day filled with ceremony and diplomacy – a 21-gun salute on the White House south lawn; a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office – the two world leaders reconvened in the evening for a glitzy black-tie event with more than 300 guests to celebrate their enduring alliance.

Albanese arrived at the north portico of the White House in a chauffeur-driven limousine just before 7pm, where he was greeted by the president, wearing a black suit and tie, and First Lady Jill Biden, who wore a silver and blush gown embroidered with leaf motifs.

The prime minister’s partner, Jodie Haydon, was equally striking in a draped tulle gown by Australian label Paolo Sebastian, featuring embroidery of native flora and fauna such as kookaburras and wattle.

“We both did very well,” Biden quipped to Albanese before the couples walked inside.

Biden told guests that Australia and the US “stand as close as we have ever been”.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Soon after, the pair entered a temporary outdoor pavilion that had been built on the South Lawn, where a patchwork of guests had been mingling: from politicians and policy wonks, to musicians, actors and captains of industry.

Australia’s ambassador, Kevin Rudd, was spotted near the front of the room having had a lengthy discussion with Republican congressman Michael McCaul, whose party finally appointed a Speaker earlier in the day after weeks of infighting.

Australian musicians The Kid Laroi and Vance Joy worked their respective tables, while the US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas Greenfield, gave a warm embrace to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

And as the leaders prepared to give a toast before dinner was served, Albanese joked that he “only had one regret about tonight, which is I’m not quite sure how I top this for date night with Jodie, at any time, anywhere in the future”.

“It’s all downhill from here, my darling,” he told her.

The state dinner is a tradition that dates back to 1874, when Ulysses Grant hosted the king of Hawaii. Usually, it’s a festive affair filled with celebrities and billionaires, and with music and entertainment well into the night.

This one, however, was set against the backdrop of a war in Ukraine and an escalating conflict in the Middle East – something that resulted in the First Lady shelving plans for The B-52s to perform their party hits. Members of the band were instead dinner guests, while a military band played on the stage.

The global challenges were not lost on Biden or Albanese, either.

As Israel prepares for a ground war in the Gaza Strip, closer to home, news that 22 people had been killed during a mass shooting in Maine was delivered to the president during his dinner. Biden stepped out briefly to call the governor and offer his full federal support.

“We live in a world that keeps changing. Yet one thing that keeps the ground firm beneath us is the great constant that is the American spirit,” Albanese said as he toasted Biden.

“It is a spirit Australians identify with. With a small population but big imagination, we punch above our weight – all the while drawing inspiration from our friends across the Pacific. We stand as close as we have ever been.”

Biden was equally laudatory, describing Albanese as a good friend, and Australia as a nation prepared to “face tough challenges and with the courage to fight for a better future”.

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, mingles with guests at the dinner.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

But he also turned to the theme the pair had discussed throughout the day: the growing threat of China.

“A great deal of the history of our world will be written in the Indo-Pacific in the coming years. Australia and the United States must – must – write that story together,” Biden said. “To advance freedom, security and prosperity for all.”

As fireworks burst in the night sky outside, Biden raised his glass.

“To our partnership, to our mateship and the future we will create together. Cheers!”

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.

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