When Justin and Sophie Trudeau announced in 2023 that they were separating after ‘many meaningful and difficult conversations’, speculation quickly turned to whether infidelity could have torn apart what was widely perceived as a ‘fairytale’ marriage.
The former Canadian Prime Minister, 53, and ex-television presenter were counted among the most loved-up political power couples, never shying away from public displays of affection.
Looking for clues about their shock split, fans were quick to point to a 2014 interview in which Justin – who resigned in January – shared that there were ‘ups and downs’ in their marriage but stopped short of admitting unfaithfulness.
‘Our marriage isn’t perfect and we have had difficult ups and downs, yet Sophie remains my best friend, my partner, my love,’ he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in October 2014.
‘We are honest with each other, even when it hurts.’
When journalist Evan Solomons pressed Justin on whether the ‘ups and downs’ he referred to was code for cheating, he replied ‘No’ before clarifying they were the ‘kinds of challenges any marriage goes through’.
Speculation about Justin’s alleged infidelity began following the release of his 2014 memoir Common Ground, in which he talks about having a ‘diminished sense of self-worth’ as a result of his parents’s divorce.
Justin’s father and former Canadian PM Pierre Trudeau married 22-year-old Canadian activist Margaret Sinclair, who was 29 years younger than him, in 1971.
Justin Trudeau and ex-wife Sophie Gregoire (above) first met during their schooldays; Gregoire was the childhood friend and classmate of Justin’s younger brother Michel, who died in an avalance in 1998 at the age of 23
The ex-couple, who tied the knot in 2005, were widely regarded as the most loved-up political power couples during Trudeau’s tenure as Canada’s Prime Minister
They never shied away from public displays of affection
However, after 18 years of marriage during which they welcomed three children, Justin and Sophie announced they were separating after ‘many meaningful and difficult conversations’ in a joint statement released on August 3, 2023
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Justin Trudeau's ex-wife Sophie's eyebrow-raising comments as he leaves office
They finalised their divorce in 1984 but split after six years of marriage, as ‘Flying Pierre’ embarked on a new romance with the ‘First Lady of the Guitar’ Liona Boyd.
Meanwhile, Margaret felt trapped and neglected in her marriage to Pierre – comparing it to living ‘like a patient in a mental hospital no longer considered able to make decisions and cannot be exposed to a harsh light’ in her memoirs.
During his interview with the CBC in October 2014, Trudeau also explained that his ‘very difficult, high-pressured job’ (Justin was elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in 2013) would sometimes affect his marriage.
‘Everyone knows how challenging it is to balance family responsibilities with a job that takes me across the country and working extremely hard,’ the dashing Canadian politican continued.
‘There are times when she hates my job and she hates me for loving my job.
‘There are times, there are times when she understands how much of an opportunity and a responsibility it is for us to actually serve this country that has given us so much,’ he added.
Speculation about Justin’s alleged infidelity began following the release of his 2014 memoir Common Ground, in which he talks about having a ‘diminished sense of self-worth’ as a result of his parents’s divorce
Sophie and Justin on Their wedding day in May 2005
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TV-presenter-turned yoga instructor Sophie was also asked whether her marriage to Justin had ever endured extramarital relations – but she was far less direct in her response.
Speaking to GlobalNews.ca in 2015, the mother-of-three said: ‘Ask if whatever happened in our lives – I’m not saying it did or didn’t – as if we would answer that.’
Sopie shared that she was ‘almost proud’ of any hardships they endured because ‘we want authenticity, we want truth’ while adding: ‘I’m happy we had to go through that.’
She would, once again, allude to these difficulties in her relationship with Justin while marking their wedding anniversary in May 2022 with a post on Instagram.
‘Together for 19 years, married for 17, we have navigated through sunny days, heavy storms, and everything in between and it ain’t over,’ she captioned her tribute post.
‘You all know I keep things honest: long-term relationships are challenging in so many ways.
‘They demand constant work, flexibility, compromise, sacrifice, devotion, patience, effort, and so much more,’ Sophie shared with her followers.
Around the same time as her interview, their public appearances together began to dwindle as Sophie retreated from the spotlight – although she and Justin attended King Charles’ coronation on May 6, 2023 together.
She would later mark her ex-husband’s nine-year tenure as Canada’s prime minister with an eyebrow-raising Instagram post that barely mentioned Justin by name
Her absence from the world stage struck some as strange.
While Sophie, 49, was never Canada’s ‘First Lady’ – since the country does not grant the spouse of the prime minister the status of ‘premiere dame’ – the glamorous wife of Justin was photographed by his side during overseas trips and official engagements.
Despite being married for a decade by the time Justin assumed office, the ex-couple appeared deeply in love and unable to keep their hands off each other – as fans celebrated their relationship for its authenticity.
Justin’s affectionate gestures, including planting a tender kiss on Sophie’s forehead and cheekily grabbing her behind, often made headlines, as the world collectively swooned over their head-over-heels love.
However, after 18 years of marriage during which they welcomed three children, Justin and Sophie announced they were separating after ‘many meaningful and difficult conversations’ in a joint statement released on August 3, 2023.
Their statement read: ‘We remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build.’
They also called for privacy for the ‘well-being’ of their three children, Xavier, 17, Ella-Grace, 16, and Hadrien, 11.
Since their shock split, Sophie has found love again with Ottawa pediatric surgeon Dr. Marcos Bettolli. The two were seen leaving a ritzy restaurant together just six months her separation from Justin was announced on social media.
Since their shock split, Sophie has found love again with Ottawa pediatric surgeon Dr. Marcos Bettolli (not pictured here)
Around the same time that Justin resigned as Canada’s prime minister in January – after weeks of pressure from party colleagues amid escalating tensions with Donald Trump – Sophie enjoying a skiing holiday with their children in Red Mountain Resort.
She posted an Instagram Reel showing her frolicking in the snow in the picturesque Rossland, west Canada mountains.
‘Born to ski!’ Gregoire said in a caption overlaying the dreamy video. ‘Red Mountain slopes, powder and people; you rock! Thank you for an epic time! SHRED RED.’
She would later mark her ex-husband’s nine-year tenure as Canada’s prime minister with an eyebrow-raising Instagram post that barely mentioned Justin by name.
As Justin officially stepped down as the Leader of the Liberal Party on Sunday, Sophie posted one picture of their daughter Ella-Grace, another of a teary-eyed Trudeau, and a third of new Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana.
She added a lengthy caption about herself, her kids, the Liberal party and its new leader – without mentioning much about her ex-husband’s accomplishments at all.
In fact, when briefly referring to Justin, Sophie described him simply as a ‘loving father [who] was in full service to his country’.
His credentials as her life partner of two decades remained conspicuous in their absence.