High profile Adelaide couple Natasha Stott Despoja and Ian Smith separate after 20 years of marriage

Natasha Stott Despoja and Ian Smith separateWere regarded as a SA power couple

Former Senator Natasha Stott Despoja has been left 'blindsided' after her 20-year marriage to political lobbyist Ian Smith ended.

Ms Stott Despoja, 54, and Ian Smith, a former political adviser turned globally respected corporate consultant, went their separate ways over the summer, according to friends and colleagues.

For more than two decades, the high profile pair, who wed in a romantic beach ceremony in Byron Bay in 2003, were regarded as one of South Australia's power couples.

Ms Stott Despoja, who was the youngest woman to serve in the federal parliament when she was appointed aged 26 to the Australian Senate, was 'blindsided' by the breakdown of their marriage, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Happier times: Natasha Stott Despoja, 54, and Ian Smith, a former political adviser turned globally respected corporate consultant recently went their separate ways

The couple married in a romantic beach ceremony in Byron Bay in 2003 (pictured),

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Mr Smith has reportedly told friends the break-up was mutual.

The couple share two teenage children.

Mr Smith made headlines last year when a worm dance he performed at a Rita Ora performance at the Prince's Trust Gala dinner in New York went viral.

The pop star later urged her 16 million Instagram followers. to 'find this man'.

'Find him, find this man,' Ora said.

'I need him at every show, I need you in my life.'

Mr Smith, who claimed to have been perfecting the energetic dance since his teenage years, quipped that he planned to 'give up political advisory lobbying'.

I've left Adelaide for the big time now. The worm goes global, Mr Smith joked to ANC News.

'When Rita Ora put this on her Instagram, it sort of dawned on me that at long last ... after about 40-odd years of doing this dance, that someone finally appreciated it.'

Mr Smith made headlines last year when a worm dance he performed at a Rita Ora performance in New York went viral, with the pop star urging her followers to 'find this man' (pictured)

The lobbyist later met Ora in person after Ms Stott Despoja introduced him as 'the worm guy' (pictured, left to right: Julie Bishop, Rita Ora and Ian Smith)

Mr Smith subsequently revealed that he briefly met the popstar and had his picture snapped with the singer after '

The lobbyist later met Ora in person after his wife introduced him as 'the worm guy'.

'Natasha sort of saw her and said, 'My husband is the worm guy',' Mr Smith recalled.

Not long before the couple married in 2003, Ms Stott Despoja resigned as the leader of the Australian Democrats over bitter party infighting.

She had been leader of the party for just over a year.

The couple welcomed their child in 2004 and Ms Stott Despoja remained in the Senate until 2008.

She went on to found Our Watch, a national foundation to prevent violence against women and children.

This work on gender equality earned her an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019 and an appointment to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Pictured: Natasha Stott Despoja is congratulated by her then fiancée Ian Smith after giving a speech to the Democrats conference in Canberra in 2002. The couple wed the following year

In March, Ms Stott Despoja was appointed as South Australia's Royal Commissioner into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.

Mr Smith, who was originally born in the UK, began his career as a journalist before going on to advise state political leaders.

He later founded corporate advisory firm, Bespoke Approach.

He is considered one of Australia's most influential political lobbyists.

Ms Stott Despoja previously dated television journalist Hugh Riminton in 2001 before entering a relationship with Mr Smith.

The couple announced their engagement in April 2002 after a whirlwind romance and married the following year.

Daily Mail Australia has approached both Ms Stott Despoja and Mr Smith for comment.

Natasha Stott Despoja and Ian Smith were together for 22 years