Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his separation from his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau on Wednesday.
The prime minister and his wife said in a joint statement posted on their official Instagram accounts that they had “many meaningful and difficult conversations” before making their decision.
“As always, we remain a united family with deep love and respect for each other for all that we have built and will continue to build,” he wrote.
The couple requested privacy out of respect for the children’s well-being.
Justin Trudeau’s office said in a statement following the announcement that the couple had signed a “legal separation agreement.”
“They have worked to ensure that all legal and ethical steps regarding their decision to separate have been taken, and will continue to do so in the future,” his office said.
The Prime Minister’s Office also said the couple strives to raise their children in a safe, loving and collaborative environment.
“Both parents will be a constant presence in their children’s lives and Canadians can expect to see the family together often,” the statement said. “The family will be together on vacation starting next week.”
Sophie and Justin Trudeau first met as children in Montreal and crossed paths again at a charity event in 2003, according to Vogue. They married in 2005 and have three children, two sons and a daughter.
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is a former television presenter who obtained a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Montreal. According to his biography on Liberal Party of Canada websiteshe has used her platform to advocate for a number of causes, including gender equity issues.
She won the UN Women National Committee Canada Recognition Award in 2013 for her contribution to human rights issues, the site says.
Justin Trudeau, son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was leader of the Liberal Party in 2013 and won his first election as prime minister two years later. He has since been re-elected in 2019 and 2021.
Trudeau has publicly praised his wife over the years, most recently in a post on his birthday in April. He posted two selfies with her on his social media with a caption professing his love for her.
“From this to that, and everything in between, there is no one I would rather have on my side,” he wrote.
He also praised her and his own mother as two of the country’s “strongest, bravest and greatest people.” Mother’s Day article from May.
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau offered similar praise for her husband in a Article for Father’s Day in June.
“This man could carry the love he has for his children everywhere,” he wrote. “Dads, never underestimate your role as mentors within your family to your sons and daughters.”
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