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Prime Minister is leaving beach as bride appears and "respectfully" stands aside, photographer says

A few days earlier he was sighted shirtless taking a selfie with a family after emerging from a cave in Quebec

CNN  — 

Shirtless surfers are common in the background at beach weddings, but when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared bare-chested at a recent seaside ceremony he nearly stole the spotlight.

Photographer Marnie Recker captured the famously fit head of state in a photo at a wedding last week in Tofino, British Columbia.

Trudeau was leaving the beach as the bride-to-be was coming down the stairs, Recker said in a Facebook post. With his wetsuit pulled beneath his bare torso, he “respectfully” stood back as the bride-to-be walked down the aisle, setting up what Recker called “the most hilarious photobomb in Canadian history.”

“When the Prime Minister of Canada accidentally photobombs a wedding, he does it with impeccable timing and in full Tofino spirit,” Recker said in the August 5 post.

Recker shared the photo on social media and it took off, as images of Trudeau flaunting his athletic prowess are known to do.

Just days prior, he was spotted – also shirtless – taking a selfie with a family after emerging from a cave in Quebec’s Gatineau Park.

Even clothed, he’s social media catnip. Who can forget the jubilant pictures of him from this year’s Pride celebrations, or that time he demonstrated a peacock pose on a desk, or all those times he’s balanced a baby in the palm of his hand?

The beach image prompted admirers to invite Trudeau to their weddings, shirt optional. Cynical observers called him a “world class media master,” and wondered if he would “move out of the way to let someone qualified run the country.”

Trudeau has not commented on the photo, and Recker did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Recker said on Facebook that Trudeau did not pose for the photo. Like many Canadians, she said she knew Trudeau was vacationing with his family in the popular seaside destination.

She said, though, that she was “no paparazzi” and had not gone out of her way to photograph him.

Meanwhile, she has seized the opportunity to “gift” the Trudeau family a photo session, “promising total privacy.”