In his college days, Edgar Preca’s first attempt at billiards was so unsuccessful that one of his friends jibed: “First Division stuff”.

From then on ‘Il-First’ became his life-long nickname. And from Friday, ‘Il-First’ will take on another meaning as his wife Marie-Louise Coleiro becomes the new President, and he will be Malta’s First Gentleman.

This will mean a drastic change in lifestyle for the shy, introvert Mr Preca, 57, from Valletta, who has suddenly found himself in the limelight.

“When Marie-Louise told me she had been nominated for presidency... I froze.

“But it was Hobson’s choice for her. She never wanted it and was immensely happy running the ministry. However, at the end of the day, the Prime Minister is her boss and he kept insisting he wished to see her take the post; she couldn’t keep saying no,” he says.

For a while, it looked like his wife’s dream – “a five-year plan” to eliminate poverty from the country – had been crushed.

“But now she knows she will still be of service to the people and she’s looking forward to it.”

I always tell my friends that I am lucky to have married the most beautiful woman on earth: beautiful outside and even more beautiful inside

What about him? How does he feel about it?

There is a long pause. The interview is carried out in the boardroom of the Social Solidarity Ministry in Valletta, his wife’s office until today. It is his first interview, bar a two-minute video some years ago, and he is visibly anxious initially.

“I can’t say I was excited about it in the beginning. But I didn’t want to make it more difficult for her, so I am giving her all my support. I want to be her rock,” he says.

He makes it very clear he is ready to make “any kind of sacrifice” for his wife. He loves her, he says, and he has no qualms saying it.

“I always tell my friends that I am lucky to have married the most beautiful woman on earth: beautiful outside and even more beautiful inside and I say it because I really believe it,” he says.

Later, when he relaxes, he says he jokes with his wife about how now she has to stick to protocol.

“If she’s inspecting the Guard of Honour and sees a soldier sweating in the sweltering summer heat, she’ll want to hug him,” he says.

However, he is quick to point out that she is very much aware that her new role necessitates her following protocol.

“And she will do so, rest assured. The only thing is her character won’t change: she won’t be locked up at the palace but the palace will be open to the people.”

He is still getting used to the idea of moving to San Anton Palace, located just around the corner from their apartment in Balzan. He hopes his wife’s new role will at least give them some more time together.

“We don’t have much of a private life: but we make the best of the quality time we have together.”

They get up at 4.30am every day for a chance to catch up.

“We have a cup of tea, we say the rosary together, and sometimes we go over the papers together,” he says.

At 6am the telephone starts ringing and it does not stop.

“In the evening she comes in late, I warm up her food, we chat a bit and then we wrap up the day,” he said. And invariably she’s late.

“But I’m used to it – she was late even on our first date,” he said.

The couple met 12 years ago at the General Workers’ Union Cafeteria in Strait Street, Valletta, when they were introduced by a common friend. Ms Coleiro gave him her number and told him to stay in touch.

“But I was too shy to do that – you know with her being an MP and all that,” he says.

Four years later, at Christmastime, they bumped into each other at the very same cafeteria. “She called me out by my name – she remembered me after four years.”

They lunched together with their friends and Ms Coleiro told him: “You never called me, now you have to.”

He did, although for the first date he roped in a couple friends of his because “I’m very shy”. Immediately, he said, he felt she “had that something special; the more I spoke to her the more I realised that she was the woman of my life”.

After dating for four months, he popped the question. “She said to me: ‘Don’t you think we’re hurrying?’

But I told her that, well, we were not teenagers and between us we totted up more than a hundred years.”

She burst out laughing and within 18 months – on the feast of Santa Marija – they were married, at St George’s Church in Qormi.

They honeymooned for a week in Gozo. “But she’s like the Pope. Every time we step out in the street you have everyone stopping her and wanting to talk to her,” he said.

His role as First Gentleman will be a full-time one, most notably as chairman of the Malta Community Chest Fund. Mr Preca retired from work two years ago following a 34-year career in management at Air Malta.

Although he loved his job “and the airport”, he opted to take the voluntary early retirement scheme so he could help his wife in her electoral campaign, even going door to door to campaign for her.

“She has long days so it makes sense that I run the household myself. I support her but I am not doing anything special, it’s my duty... and I believe in equality.”

She has long days so it makes sense that I run the household myself

Cooking is one of his passions, as is football, photography and art.

He is a great fan of Maltese artists Anton Camilleri and Luciano Micallef.

“And of course, being from Valletta, I am a great City fan – I spent my younger days at the football stadium.”

Together the couple enjoy going for walks, or simply watching an interesting television programme together. Ms Coleiro’s daughter lives with them.

“She was 12 when I got to know Marie-Louise and I consider her my daughter now. We are a team. A small team of three – and Marie-Louise seeks and appreciates our opinion.”

Family is very dear to him. He spent 20 years nursing his elderly ill mother and would do it all over again.

He is very close to his two other siblings and his nieces and nephews, who are very happy for him over his new role.

He strongly believes that “the family that prays together stays together”.

Perhaps it stems from the fact that the brother of his great-grandfather is St Ġorġ Preca.

“Of course we squabble, but we make it a point that we settle things before we sleep – and we say a prayer.”

Clearly his wife is the fulcrum of the family. The most difficult times for them, he says, was when she was considering stepping down from politics ahead of the 2013 general election.

The most memorable moment was the swearing-in ceremony when Ms Coleiro Preca was made Social Policy Minister. He shed a tear or two of happiness on that day he says, because it was like she was being given a chance to fulfil her dreams.

He is certain his wife will be a unifying President for the country.

“I don’t want to boast about her, but whenever Nationalists approach her for help, she promptly tells them: ‘Did I ask you about your political affiliation? If you are here it means that you need my help’.”

He prays he will be able to fulfil his role, and be of great support to his wife.

“I’m trying my hardest to get over my shyness – this interview was a start wasn’t it?” he quips.

Il-First’s first hurdle is over.