Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, and his wife have announced their separation

After 18 years of marriage, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, made the separation announcement on Wednesday.

The prime minister’s office stated they have both signed a legal separation agreement.

The two announced in comments shared on Instagram that they took the decision after “many meaningful and difficult conversations.

In 2015, Trudeau, a 51-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most well-known politicians, took the oath of office.

The former model and TV host Sophie Trudeau In 2005, the couple were married. They both appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine and brought star power to the prime minister’s office together.

They have three kids: 9-year-old Hadrien, 15-year-old Xavier, and 14-year-old Ella-Grace.

“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,” the two said on Instagram. In recent years, the first lady has taken on a less prominent role, rarely accompanying the prime minister on official travels.

Last month, the two were visible in public together at Canada Day activities in Ottawa.

According to a statement from Trudeau’s office, “they remain a close family, and Sophie and the prime minister are focused on raising their kids in a safe, loving, and cooperative environment.”

Beginning the following week, the entire family will be on vacation together.

Respect for their privacy was urged by his office. When Sophie Gregoire attended the same school as Justin Trudeau’s youngest brother, Michel, they became friends as children and reconnected as adults when they co-hosted a charity dinner in 2003.

The second prime minister to do so while in office is Justin Trudeau. During the latter year of the older Trudeau’s tenure as prime minister, in 1984, his mother, Margaret Trudeau, and father, Pierre Trudeau, divorced after divorcing in 1979.

When he initially took office in 2015, Justin Trudeau channeled the star power of his Liberal idol.

After eight years in office, scandals, voter apathy, and economic inflation have hurt his popularity. Trudeau recently shared a photo of himself and his wife holding hands on their anniversary, writing, “Every mile of this journey together is an adventure. Soph, I adore you. Many happy returns!”