Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie separate after 18 years

[Sarzy]

Canada's PM Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie are separating after 18 years, following "meaningful and difficult conversations".

The couple said they would remain "a close family with deep love and respect" in an Instagram post.

They were married in Montreal in 2005 and have three children together.

In a statement, Mr Trudeau's office said that while the couple had signed separation agreement they will still make public appearances.

"They have worked to ensure that all legal and ethical steps with regards to their decision to separate have been taken, and will continue to do so moving forward," the statement said, adding they would be on holiday as a family next week.

The couple have asked for privacy for the "well-being" of their children, Xavier, 15, Ella-Grace 14, and Hadrien, nine.

"We remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build," Mr Trudeau, 51, and Ms Gregoire Trudeau, 48, said.

They have been seen together publicly less frequently in recent years, though they attended the coronation of King Charles III together in May and hosted US President Joe Biden in Canada in March.

In a wedding anniversary post on Instagram in May 2022, Ms Gregoire Trudeau wrote about the challenges of long-term relationships, saying "we have navigated through sunny days, heavy storms, and everything in between".

The two began dating in 2003, when Ms Gregoire Trudeau was working as a TV personality. She is also known for her charity work around mental health and eating disorders.

Mr Trudeau was first elected prime minister in 2015.



www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66389069

[sputnik]

woah. was not expecting this.
it sounds like they've been separated for a while and will continue to be professional spouses as long as he's PM. it's weird that they're going public with it when they could have kept it under wraps until he left office, which makes me think either it was going to get leaked, or they separated a while ago but one of them has started fucking someone else and they need to keep that gossip from leaking.

[greysfang]

I bet Melanoma Trump is on the phone to "comfort" him.

[sputnik]

i bet there's a line of women (and men) offering "comfort" in his time of need.

[Sarzy]

Aug 2, 2023 19:54:49 GMT sputnik said:

woah. was not expecting this.
it sounds like they've been separated for a while and will continue to be professional spouses as long as he's PM. it's weird that they're going public with it when they could have kept it under wraps until he left office, which makes me think either it was going to get leaked, or they separated a while ago but one of them has started fucking someone else and they need to keep that gossip from leaking.

I wondered that too. I think we'll hear about one of them being with someone else soon. 

Aug 2, 2023 19:55:40 GMT greysfang said:

I bet Melanoma Trump is on the phone to "comfort" him.

I'd forgotten about this photo lol

[brookie]

I wasn't expecting this either. I also am good at comforting.

[tulip]

I'll stand in that line!

[thejackiedaytona]

As a Canadian I feel it's my duty to comfort him. For the good of the nation of course.

I forget to add that in the 90's my brother in law worked with Sophie in Montreal. He said she was a bit of a social climber and kissed butt to move up the ladder. He wasn't a fan of hers

. 

[no1novice]

Sounds like it's been moving that way for a while but the stress of being married to such a public figure must be horrible.

Hopefully neither is having an affair or being blackmailed about leaking it.

When Trudeau was first elected prime minister in 2015, Grégoire Trudeau had a high public profile, meeting with international leaders, dignitaries and community organizers and joining her husband on foreign trips.

Vogue ran a glowing profile of the two in 2016 issue, which said that Trudeau “shocks some with his public displays of affection toward his wife”.

She also worked on a number of causes including advocacy for gender equality and mental health. She has two books due for publication: Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other, scheduled for release in April 2024, along with a picture book slated for 2025.

In recent years she has played a less visible role, and rarely travelled with her husband on official trips. On their wedding anniversary last year, she wrote in a social media post that “we have navigated through sunny days, heavy storms, and everything in between and it ain’t over”.

The two of them traveled to London in May for the coronation of King Charles and were together when the US president, Joe Biden, visited in late March.

Trudeau gave a news conference on Monday and took a ride on the Toronto subway that night, but has had no public appearances scheduled for the last two days.

“They remain a close family and Sophie and the prime minister are focused on raising their kids in a safe, loving and collaborative environment,” said the statement. “The family will be together on vacation, beginning next week.”