FORMER Prime Minister Tony Abbott has congratulated his daughter on her surprise engagement, in a message that has left many scratching their heads.

Really thrilled at the news of Francie and Sam’s engagement. 1/2 — Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) November 20, 2017

Why.......... is this in 2 tweets? — Neville (@1FightingIrish) November 20, 2017

It appeared Mr Abbott had not received the memo about the new Twitter 280-character limit. But aside from questioning why the former PM needed to spread his pride across two meagre tweets, the replies came in thick and fast. Some questioned his tardiness or whether it was even necessary to use Twitter to congratulate Frances.

@TiffanyBakker wrote: “So two weeks is fine to get engaged, but gay couples who have been together years, no? Right.”

@NathanhyperBole fired off: “Thanks for protecting the sanctity of marriage just so that total strangers like your daughter and her new fiance can get married.”

But @280kmh, like many others, could simply not get past it: “I’m beyond certain this could have all fit in one tweet.”

Frances and Olympic rower Sam Loch got engaged after dating for just two weeks.

The marriage equality advocate and fitness fanatic, 26, made the shock announcement on her Instagram account yesterday, publicly telling her new beau that “two weeks was all it took to know that forever with you was a mighty fine idea.”



The lucky man? A fellow fitness lover, former Olympian turned weightlifter Sam Loch.

Describing Loch as her “Feyonce,” Abbott continued the Beyonce theme by declaring herself “Crazy in love” and that “he liked it so he put a ring on it.”



“#Whywait #letsdothis,” she hashtagged the post.

The announcement has stunned followers of the ex-PM’s daughter and competitive fitness model, who describes herself as “so single” as recently as an interview in the current issue of Harper’s Bazaar Australia.

“I always describe myself as ‘so single’, because that’s how single I am. Like, very, very single. But I also think it’s probably the best time to compete, because I don’t have a guy saying, ‘Let’s go get some dinner!’” she said, detailing her ultra-healthy lifestyle.

The journalist who conducted that interview, Rachelle Unreich, was among those to express their surprise under Abbott’s engagement post.

“Whoa! Things change quickly! (When I interviewed you not very long ago for Harper’s, you said you were sooooo single!) Congrats! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness,” Unreich wrote.

Abbott’s fiance is a 34-year-old professional rower who has competed in both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics and whose own Instagram account details his regular feats of strength.

The super-fit rower and his new fiance clearly share a love of fitness: A pilates and yoga instructor, Abbott exercises six days a week, combining weights and cardio training.

Abbott has made headlines in recent months due to her vocal public support for marriage equality — a stance that was in direct contradiction to her father, who spent much of the marriage survey period campaigning against a Yes vote.

75 per cent of voters in his electorate of Waringah turned in a Yes vote.

News.com.au has approached Frances Abbott for comment.

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