Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have announced their separation after 18 years of marriage. The couple said they made the decision after “many meaningful and difficult conversations” and that they would continue to co-parent their three children.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, on their respective Instagram accounts, where they posted identical statements in English and French. They said they had signed a legal separation agreement and asked for privacy and respect during this “challenging time”.
“We have grown apart over the past few years, but remain close friends who will always share a deep love for our family,” they wrote. “We are committed to raising our children together in a spirit of cooperation and mutual support.”
They also thanked their family, friends, staff, and fellow Canadians for their support and kindness over the years. They said they were grateful for the opportunity to serve the country and hoped to continue to do so in the future.
Trudeau, 51, and Gregoire Trudeau, 48, met in 2003 when they co-hosted a charity event in Montreal. They got married in May 2005 in a lavish ceremony attended by celebrities and politicians. They have three children: Xavier, 15, Ella Grace, 14, and Hadrien, 9.
The couple has been seen as a symbol of modernity and glamour in Canadian politics, often appearing together at public events and showing affection for each other. They have also been vocal advocates for various causes, such as gender equality, mental health, environmentalism, and Indigenous rights.
However, they have also faced challenges and controversies during their marriage. In 2016, Gregoire Trudeau sparked a backlash when she said she needed more help to balance her duties as the prime minister’s wife and mother of three. In 2019, Trudeau was embroiled in a political scandal involving allegations of interference in a corruption case against a Canadian company. In 2020, Gregoire Trudeau tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a trip to London, forcing the prime minister to self-isolate for two weeks.
Although they attended King Charles III’s coronation together in May and welcomed US President Joe Biden to Canada in March, they have been seen alongside less regularly in the public eye in recent years. Some observers have speculated that their marriage was strained by the pressures of public life and the pandemic.
Trudeau is the second prime minister to announce a separation while in office. His father, Pierre Trudeau, who served as prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984, divorced his mother, Margaret Trudeau, in 1984 during his final year in office. The elder Trudeau had married Margaret, who was 29 years younger than him, in 1971. Their marriage was marked by turbulence and infidelity, as Margaret struggled with bipolar disorder and substance abuse.
The separation of Justin and Sophie Trudeau comes as the prime minister faces a tough re-election campaign next year. He leads a minority government that depends on the support of other parties to pass legislation. He also faced criticism from his opponents over his handling of the pandemic, the economy, the environment, and foreign affairs.
