Anurag Kumar
Toronto:Wednesday morning, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife of 18 years, Sophie Gregoire, made an abrupt announcement that they are separating.
The couple issued identical public statements on Instagram in this regard. The statement stated that they “would like to share the news that after many deep and challenging conversations, we have decided to separate.”
They were married in Montreal in May 2005 and have three children: 14-year-old Ella-Grace, 15-year-old Xavier, and nine-year-old Hadrien.
According to a statement from the office of the prime minister (PMO), they have signed a separation agreement.
“As always, we remain a close-knit family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build,” they wrote in separate Instagram posts.
It continued, “For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy.”
There had been no reports or even rumours of a rift in the Trudeaus’ relationship, so the announcement was unexpected.
“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 moving forward,” the PMO said in a statement quoted by CBC.
In February 2018, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau accompanied the Canadian prime minister on his 11-day official visit to India.
In 2003, Trudeau, 51, reportedly met Sophie Gregoire, 48, a former entertainment journalist, according to Globe and Mail.
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“Both parents will be a constant presence in the lives of their children, and Canadians can expect to see the family frequently. Beginning the following week, the family will be on vacation together,” the PMO added in its statement on the matter.
His father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, divorced his mother Margaret Trudeau in 1984, seven years after announcing their separation.
