Anthony Albanese may have been ghosted by Donald Trump twice in as many days, but he did stand shoulder to shoulder with other world leaders at this week’s G7 summit in Canada.
Or, rather, he stood a good head and shoulders above some of them, as shown by this incredible photograph which has Australians talking.
As he posed for a group photo with leaders in the mountaintop town of Kananaskis on Wednesday, Albanese towered over his peers.
He literally looked down upon Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The remarkable image immediately sparked conversation online, with some Aussies unaware of how the Prime Minister measured up against his peers.
‘I hadn’t noticed how tall Albo is,’ one marvelled.
Another added: ‘Same!’
‘I’ve always assumed (also as an Australian) he was around average height, but he looks tall as in that photo,’ they added.
During a group photograph of the gathered leaders in the mountaintop Canadian town of Kananaskis on Wednesday, Anthony Albanese towered over his peers (pictured)
However, the Labor leader stands at a relatively modest 5ft 10in (177.8cm) – an inch above the average height for an Australian man (pictured: Albanese standing beside his vanquished rival who is three inches taller)
Donald Trump infamously likes to be at the centre of any photo opportunity and would have no doubt relished his ability to stand over all of his peers
One suggested that ‘we breed big things Down Under’, while another cracked a gag about the often dog-eat-dog world of global politics.
‘Why doesn’t Anthony Albanese, the largest prime minister, simply eat the other prime ministers?’, they said.
However the Labor leader is no giant – he stands at a relatively modest 5ft 10in (177.8cm) – an inch above the average height for an Australian man.
His former rival for the country’s top job, Peter Dutton, towered over Albanese at 6ft 1in (185cm).
Macron, who has a penchant for cuban-heeled boots, is slightly shorter at 5ft 8in (173cm), while Zelensky is 5ft 7in (170cm) and Meloni is a pint-sized 5ft 3in (163cm) tall.
Last year, a journalist was ordered to pay €5,000 ($8,820) in damages to the Italian Prime Minister for mocking her height, which a court deemed to be ‘body shaming’.
It is perhaps just as well that Trump left the G7 early to deal with the Iran-Israel crisis – therefore scuppering Albanese’s chance to secure a face-to-face meeting with him – because the US President stands at 6ft 3in (190cm).
The US Commander-in-Chief infamously likes to be at the centre of any photo opportunity and would have no doubt relished his ability to stand over all of his peers.
Whether standing or sitting, Trump is no stranger to a good photo opportunity, as this iconic image from the 2018 G7 illustrates
However, he would be put in his place by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz who stands at a towering 6ft 6in (198cm).
And, of course, Trump is not even the tallest person in his own family.
His son Barron, who is currently studying at New York University’s Stern School of Business, is a giant 6ft 7in (201cm).
Albanese was asked if Trump had rang him since the cancellation – a gesture he has afforded other world leaders – at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
‘No, he hasn’t. But I spoke with key advisors to the President,’ Albanese responded.
‘The President has been engaged… with the circumstances around Iran and Israel. It’s perfectly understandable the decision that he made.
‘That meant that the meetings that were scheduled – not just with myself, but with India, Ukraine, including President Zelensky, Mexico and other countries, didn’t go ahead today.
‘But we’re all mature about that. We understand the circumstances.’
However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had a ‘very good’ phone call with Trump after their meeting was also cancelled.