Article taken from Sydney Morning herald.
Imagine Prime Minister Kevin Rudd emerging dripping wet out of Lake Burley Griffin, channelling Colin Firth's sexy portrayal of Mr Darcy in the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice.
It might be hard to imagine, but in an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly, his wife Therese Rein has likened her courtship with Mr Rudd to Jane Austen's 1813 literary classic.
The pair met in 1976 while studying at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Ms Rein says that Mr Rudd played Mr Darcy to her Elizabeth Bennet.
"We disagreed on everything," Ms Rein told the magazine.
"It was in the best traditions of Jane Austen. Actually, it was very Pride and Prejudice."
The self-made millionaire and mother-of-three says the pair enjoyed much fiery and flirtatious banter before Mr Rudd eventually won her heart.
"We would get into these heated debates about politics, philosophy, films, the meaning of life," she says.
"And, eventually, he asked me out."
The couple were married in 1981.
Ms Rein says life imitated art.
"We came from very different backgrounds and yet we were so very similar," she says.
One wonders if Mr Rudd mentioned "detailed programmatic specificity" while whispering sweet nothings to his university sweetheart.
And no doubt the Mr Darcy reference will prove interesting fodder for parliamentary question time - much has been made by the Opposition about the Prime Minister's alleged arrogance.
sweet dreams, Love Rachel
