Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Announces Divorce After 18 Years of Marriage
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that he and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, are getting a divorce after 18 years of marriage, as reported by CTVnews.
The statement was posted on the couple's Instagram pages. "Sophie and I are announcing that after several important and difficult conversations, we have decided to end our marriage," wrote the Canadian Prime Minister.
He emphasized that the former couple holds each other in respect and love. "As always, we remain a close-knit family with deep love and respect for each other and everything we have built and will continue to build," Trudeau stated in his post.
"For the sake of our children's well-being, we ask that you respect their and our privacy," Trudeau added.
A separate release from the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that the couple has "signed a legal separation agreement." The statement by PMO spokesperson Alison Murphy mentioned that they have taken all necessary legal and ethical steps concerning their decision to divorce and will continue to do so.
In their announcement, Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau expressed their intent to focus on the development of their children. The couple plans to be together during vacations, starting from the following week.
Since becoming Prime Minister, Trudeau and his family have resided at Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall in Ottawa, due to the state of disrepair of the official residence at 24 Sussex Drive.
As a political power couple, they had a high social and international standing even before Trudeau became Prime Minister. News of their legal separation has already garnered global media attention.
Childhood friends, Justin Trudeau and his wife, a former journalist, met at a charity ball in 2003. They continued to date for several years before marrying in Montreal in 2005, well before Trudeau's active political career. The couple raises two sons, Xavier and Hadrien, and a daughter, Ella-Grace.
Their most recent international engagement was to London for the coronation of King Charles III in May, and they hosted U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in Ottawa for an official visit in March.