Justin Trudeau, wife Sophie announce separation after 18 years of marriage
Pair made the decision after 'many meaningful and difficult conversations'
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau are separating after 18 years of marriage.
In statements posted to Instagram on Wednesday they each say that “after many meaningful and difficult conversations, we have made the decision to separate.”
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“As always 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 wrote.
“For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy.”
The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement the couple have signed a separation agreement “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 Canadians can expect to still see the family together and that they will vacation together next week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau depart Westminster Abbey after the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London. Photo by Christopher Furlong /Getty Images
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shares a moment with his wife Sophie Gregoire during the Liberal election night party in Montreal September 21, 2021. Photo by Christinne Muschi /REUTERS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Trudeau arrive to attend King Charles and Queen Camilla coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, in London, May 6, 2023. Photo by POOL /via REUTERS
TOPSHOT - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gr?goire Trudeau greet US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden as they arrive at Rideau Cottage, the Prime Ministers Residence, on March 23, 2023, in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau arrive to attend a gala dinner at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Canada, on March 24, 2023. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Pope Francis (R) poses for photographs along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C) and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau (L) at the end of a private audience at the Vatican on May 29, 2017. Ettore FERRARIETTORE FERRARI/AFP/Getty Images
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau with his wife Sophie Trudeau arrive to attend a concert at the Elbphilharmonie philharmonic concert hall on the first day of the G20 economic summit on July 7, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Morris MacMatzen/Getty Images)
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau arrives to cast his ballot in the 44th general federal election as he's joined by wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, and children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien in his riding of Papineau, Montreal on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire speak on stage on stage during the Global Citizen Festival G20 benefit concert at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, northern Germany on July 6, 2017 on the eve of the G20 summit. (RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty Images)
In this file photo taken on June 08, 2018 Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau arrive for a welcome ceremony for G7 leaders on the first day of the summit in La Malbaie, Quebec. (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, third left, and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, left, make Rotis or Indian flat bread during their visit to Golden Temple, in Amritsar, India, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Prabhjot Gill)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Vancouver school-teaching days were three years over in 2005 when he and Sophie Gregoire extended their honeymoon at Anthony von Mandl’s Mission Hill Estate Winery. Photo by Malcolm Parry/Postmedia files
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C), his wife Sophie Grégoire, and Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski, right, march in the Pride Parade in Montreal, August 19, 2018. (Christinne Muschi /Postmedia)
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (2-L) and Mexican First Lady Beatriz Gutierrez Muller (L) welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2-R) and his wife Sophie Grégoire (R) at Felipe Angeles International Airport in Santa Lucia, Mexico, on January 9, 2023. (Photo by CLAUDIO CRUZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Justin Trudeau, Hadrien Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau watch Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill during a 3 day official visit to Canada on July 1, 2017 in Ottawa. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Justin Trudeau with his wife Sophie and kids Xavier, Ella and baby Hadrien, arrive at the Rogers Centre for the Blue Jays game in Toronto on Friday September 4, 2015. Dave Thomas/Toronto Sun
(L-R) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge take a walk at the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 25, 2016. JONATHAN HAYWARD/AFP/Getty Images
A 2010 holiday card family photo of Justin Trudeau with wife Sophie Gregoire, and children Alex and Ella-Grace. POSTMEDIA FILES
Newly elected Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau holds his two children Xavier and Ella-Grace as they wave to the crowd as his wife Sophie Gregoire looks on after his acceptance speech after the results of voting were announced in Ottawa at the 2013 Liberal Party of Canada Leadership Results Announcement ,Sunday, April 14, 2013. (JOHN MAJOR/Postmedia)
Justin Trudeau, with wife, Sophie, and mom, Margaret Trudeau during a meet and greet at the Banff Springs for the Kennedy Water Alliance fundraiser in July 2008. Postmedia files
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks at his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau during the Global Citizen Concert to End AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Montreal, Quebec, September 17, 2016. / GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images
Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire, attend a campaign rally for London-North-Centre Liberal candidate Glen Pearson in November 2006. LFP
US President Barack Obama (R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (2nd L), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2nd R) and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau pose upon the Trudeau's arrival for a State Dinner in their honor at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2016. NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau share a moment as they watch Canadian veterans parade past them during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa Wednesday November 11, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Sophie Gregoire (L) and Justin Trudeau react to seeing their children as the Liberal government is sworn in at Rideau Hall in 2015. (Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau wave to the media with Hadrien, Ella-Grace as they board a government plane as they leave the United Kingdom Thursday November 26, 2015 in Luton, England. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau poses for photos with his new bride Sophie Gregoire as his mother, Margaret, looks on after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz)
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, kisses his new bride Sophie Gregoire after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, leaves with his new bride Sophie Gregoire in his father's 1959 Mercedes 300 SEL after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz)
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Gregoire Trudeau has played a less visible role in recent years, rarely travelling with the prime minister on official trips. They were seen together publicly at Canada Day events in Ottawa last month.
Trudeau, 51, and Gregoire Trudeau, 48, were married May 28, 2005, at a ceremony in Montreal.
They first met as children when she was a classmate of his youngest brother, Michel, and reconnected as adults when they co-hosted a charity gala in 2003.
They initially lived in Montreal, where their son Xavier, 15, and daughter Ella-Grace, 14, were born. They moved to Ottawa as a family in 2010, two years after he was elected MP for Papineau in Montreal.
Their nine-year-old son Hadrien was born in Ottawa.
Gregoire Trudeau was a Quebec entertainment TV personality but stepped away from that career after their move to the national capital.
Trudeau is the second prime minister to announce a separation while in office.
His father, Pierre Trudeau, separated from wife Margaret in 1979 and the two divorced in 1984.
Kim Campbell was divorced before becoming prime minister in 1993.
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