Half-brother of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reveals the bond they share for first time

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Italian half-brother has spoken for the first time about the private bond they share. See the video.

Exclusive: Anthony Albanese’s half-brother has opened up for the first time about their long-distance relationship, forged by chance and determination 12 years ago — across two hemispheres.

Ruggiero Albanese, an itinerant electrician from Barletta, a small town above Italy’s sun-drenched southern heel, spoke candidly and fondly of the Australian Prime Minister when he sat down with News Corp for an exclusive interview this month.

He told of his joy at learning his half Italo-Aussie brother had ascended to the top job Down Under, of the things they have in common and how proud his late father was to learn he had another — albeit illegitimate — son.

Ruggiero said the pair stayed in touch, sporadically, through a WhatsApp family message group, along with his sister, nieces and nephews.

“We communicate mostly on WhatsApp, we say funny things about our dogs and the beach – he knows my two loves are my wife and the beach – but not much more because I think he’s very busy,” Ruggiero said, still clad in a tracksuit top and shorts after finishing work at 8pm.

Ruggiero Albanese, Anthony Albanese's half brother. Picture: Picture: Ella Pellegrini

The 52-year-old recalls one jovial text exchange he shared with Mr Albanese about their boisterous dogs, from his 9th floor apartment on the outskirts of Barletta.

“My Toto,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese replied with a picture of himself and his excitable cavoodle on the lounge, accompanied by laughing and cringing emojis.

When the Labor leader was voted into government with a majority election win on May 21, the Italian Albaneses sent a jubilant WhatsApp message congratulating him the next day. “Thank you so much xx” Mr Albanese responded, to the group chat.

WhatsApp messages exchanged after Anthony Albanese won the prime ministership.

A WhatsApp message exchanged about their pets.

Ruggiero and his sister Francesca have not heard from him since.

“We watched him on television, ‘there he is, there he is,’ Ruggiero said, with great enthusiasm.

“It was a great joy for us, we are proud of Antonio.

“When he became prime minister, we telephoned to congratulate and sent greetings but we haven’t seen each other in person since then, sadly.

“I think he is very busy because he is a politician. When he started the mandate (as PM), because of the political commitment, he became more powerful and important and so … (we didn’t see each other anymore). I think he will come to see us soon.

Another WhatsApp message sent between them over the new year.

“For us it’s a bit impossible to go to Australia. My sister and I work a lot, busy all day working, as he is, and also we have mummy who is old (to look after).

“When he was in London for the Queen’s funeral he didn’t come. Since he’s become prime minister he hasn’t come to see us yet.”

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried out of Westminster Abbey in London. Picture: Getty

For 43 years Ruggiero was unaware he had a brother growing up on the other side of the world, some 16,004 km away in social housing in Camperdown in Sydney’s inner west.

For years, Mr Albanese thought his mum Maryanne was a widow; she gave her son his dad Carlo’s surname to shield her family at a time when being an Irish Catholic mother out of wedlock was frowned upon.

The town of Barletta in Puglia in the south of Italy is the birthplace of Carlo Albanese, the father of the Australian Prime Minister. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Mr Albanese learned the truth, aged 14, that his mum met his dad while he was working as a steward on a Sitmar line ship Fairsky that sailed between Europe and Australia. His father hadn’t died in a car crash before his birth, as he’d been led to believe, and the rings on her wedding finger were for appearances only.

It wasn’t until his mother, a disability pensioner, died that Mr Albanese found his father in 2009, visiting Barletta four times to meet his half brother and half sister, nieces and nephews.

He also introduced his own son Nathan to his grandfather before he died in 2014.

“That’s how I came about in the world but my father was betrothed to a woman from Barletta and hence, mum came home to have me by herself,” Mr Albanese has previously said.

Anthony Albanese with his father Carlo Albanese in Barletta, Italy, 2009.

Mr Albanese with his mum Maryanne Ellery. Picture: Facebook

Ruggiero – a father of two daughters aged 17 and 20 – is at pains to stress his father was deeply proud of his illegitimate son but that Maryanne’s relationship with Carlo was confined only to the Sitmar ship.

“My father didn’t know he had a son. He didn’t remember anything since it happened a long time ago,” Ruggiero explained about the first meeting between his father and Mr Albanese in a lawyer’s office in Barletta.

“It was a shock for my dad, it is only through the photographs that he was able to remember. “They were both moved, they cried.

“He was very happy of this, it wasn’t an ugly thing, even if it was not wanted, something good happened in the end and he (Anthony) wanted to find his father.

“When it all happened my dad was engaged with my mother so there was nothing to worry about, they were not married.

Mr Albanese (left) with his former wife Carmel Tebbutt, father Carlo and son Nathan in Italy in 2011.

Anthony Albanese with his son Nathan. Picture: Liam Kidston

“My mother did not come to the first meeting. She reacted as all women she reacted differently from my dad, she wasn’t angry. She didn’t want to know”.

She softened the second time Mr Albanese visited Barletta and joined her husband and the Australian politician for dinner.

“It was only on the boat they (Carlo and Maryanne) knew each other – I want to explain once and for all – imagine, I go on holidays, I meet you and I never see you again for 50 years, there was no possibility to contact each other,” he said.

The Albanese half brothers’ lives share some parallels.

“When it comes up in conversation yes I say (that he is Anthony’s brother) but I respect the privacy of both of us,” he said.

“Everyone knows me because I’m an installer of white goods. I’m a good man. Honest,” he said.

Ruggiero Albanese, Anthony Albanese's half brother in the town of Barletta in Puglia. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

“I’m a nervous type and he’s calm but we both work hard, our father worked hard, he was away travelling a lot.”

The last time they met in 2013, Ruggiero – who earns $2300 a month as an electrician and white goods installer – shared his “dream” to set up an export company of southern Italian produce in Australia with his friend Carlo Finnanino.

Ruggiero said Mr Albanese explained it would be “complicated” and fraught with red tape.

“We’re proud people, we had hope but it crashed, we won’t ask again,” he said.

“If I were him I would help – not because he’s my brother but isn’t he more above (sic) the queen?

“We hope he will come soon to Barletta. Life is difficult for both of us but in different ways.”

Mr Albanese was approached for comment but did not reply by time of publication.