How Italian PM Giorgia Meloni ladles on the love with wealthy and well-known

Giorgia Meloni is no stranger to sharing affectionate exchanges with the world’s rich and powerful.

The Italian prime minister has been pictured beaming alongside fellow world leaders, celebrities, and most recently tech tycoon Elon Musk.

The billionaire Tesla owner was forced to deny rumours of a romantic involvement with the right-wing politician after pictures of them together sent social media into meltdown and he referred to the lawmaker as ‘beautiful.’

The pair were seen gazing into each other’s eyes at the Global Citizen Awards in New York City on Monday, where Musk handed Meloni the titular award – at her request.

The New York Post even went as far as to call the event a ‘public love-in’ between the world’s richest man and the first female Italian prime minister.

But it is not the only encounter Meloni has had which has set tongues wagging. 

President Joe Biden shared a particularly warm greeting with the Italian premier at the G7 summit back in June, kissing her on the forehead as they clasped each other’s arms. 

At the same meeting in Puglia, pictures of then-prime minister Rishi Sunak and Meloni went viral due to their animated and friendly exchanges.

Sunak praised her for hosting the ‘incredibly successful G7 summit’, saying ‘Giorgia is fantastic’.

He added: ‘I think the bilateral relationship between Italy and the UK at the moment is probably the strongest it’s been for as long as anyone can remember.’

Sunak’s spokesperson admitted that the pair – regularly pictured laughing together at meetings – ‘obviously get on’, crediting their relationship with the fact they were both elected ‘at a similar time’.

Their closeness raised concerns that Meloni, an important player on the world stage, might not share the same chemistry with Sir Keir Starmer when he took office.

Unlike Sunak, who commentators labelled her ‘political soulmate’ for their similar policy aims and shared love of Margaret Thatcher, the Labour leader and conservative Italian politician have somewhat differing views.

But the pair seemingly had a meeting of minds over immigration, with Britain’s PM heaping praise on his Italian counterpart when he visited Italy earlier this month. 

‘You’ve made remarkable progress,’ in tackling migration, Starmer said, in comments which angered many in the Labour party, including MP Diane Abbott, who labelled Meloni ‘a literal fascist’.

This didn’t deter Sir Keir on his charm offensive in Rome, where he sought advice on immigration as the government tackles the small boats crisis in the Channel.

He and Meloni enjoyed a pasta lunch at the picturesque Villa Doria Pamphilj, and were pictured smiling and joking together as they had a walk through the gardens.

Among the other G7 leaders, Emmanuel Macron, who is also known for his charisma, also shared a long embrace with Meloni when they met at the summit this year. 

Meanwhile she shared a more muted greetings with Germany’s Olaf Schultz and Japan’s Fumio Kishida.

Her expressive demeanor was also on display when she met with Hollywood star Mel Gibson.

She was also pictured beaming alongside Mission Impossible actor Tom Cruise when she received him at Palazzo Chigi, her office in Rome. 

During a meeting with King Charles at Blenheim Palace in July, Meloni and His Majesty were pictured in fits of laughter as they chatted with the Albanian prime minister and other officials.

Throughout her highly successful political career, Meloni has maintained her bold humour and personality, refusing to conform to the straight-laced image projected by politicians the world over.

In a cheeky video posted on election day, she made a pun on her surname by holding up two melons and winking into the camera.  

‘September 25. I have said it all,’ she told voters with a smirk.

Meloni split with Andrea Giambruno, her partner of ten years and father of their seven-year-old daughter, Ginevra, last year after he was caught making lewd comments.

The TV host, 42, was recorded off air making sexist remarks that were later broadcast on a satirical TV show Striscia La Notizia.

Giambruno was heard propositioning a colleague and asking if she was interested in a ‘threesome… or foursome’ after initially telling her he was having an affair.

Meloni responded by publicly dumping him on social media, announcing: ‘My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost ten years, ends here.’

She thanked him for their ‘splendid years together’ and the gift of their daughter, before adding: ‘Our paths have diverged for some time, and the time has come to acknowledge it.’