A picture-perfect partnership ends with a surprise split. So who is Sophie Grégoire
Trudeau, the soon-to-be ex-wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau?
Before entering the world of politics, Sophie worked as a host for "eTalk," an
entertainment news show in Canada. The Quebec native married Justin in 2005,
and together, the pair have three children.
After Justin became prime minister in 2015, Sophie stepped up to the plate and has been
incredibly vocal about women's rights and mental health awareness. The latter is especially near
and dear to her heart, as Sophie has been open about her experience with mental health issues.
"What I know is that I'm here to serve and I want to make a difference."
The former TV personality revealed she lived with an eating disorder,
bulimia nervosa, as a teenager. In a 2011 interview with life
coach and Global News correspondent Erica Diamond, Sophie explained,
"Eating was my only way of controlling my life, or so I thought. When you are addicted or suffering
from a mental illness, you think you're in complete control. But the opposite is true."
Sophie told the Toronto Star she was afraid the news would ruin her career in entertainment when
she first publicly discussed her eating disorder. However, in the years that have followed, she has
used her political platform to open up discussions about eating disorders and mental health.
In 2023, Sophie posted a throwback photo of herself smiling in a headshot
on Instagram. In the caption, she spoke about her experience and wrote,
"Does this girl look like she’s suffering? [...] No one had shown
me how to sit with the pain I was dealing with,
and I didn't know I needed help and guidance to better understand the roots of my own suffering."
In 2017, she spoke at an event for Canada's Eating Disorder Awareness
Week and revealed candid details about her life with bulimia and how she felt
ashamed by it. She also touched on how she was able to overcome the disorder, saying,
"The moment I started sharing my story, obviously I had begun on my road to
recovery. The response and the people who were opening up towards their own struggles to me
and to other people around them was the most beautiful gift I've ever received."
Sophie has also noted that she had support from loved ones, which is very helpful when dealing
with an eating disorder. In an interview with Fashion magazine, she revealed that
she first sought help after confiding in her mother, Estelle, about her eating disorder.
"It opened the door towards healing."
According to the Star, she also used yoga, meditation, and therapy to heal.
Sophie told the Toronto Star that she is open about her eating disorder and wants to remove
the stigma around the topic. She reiterated this sentiment in an Instagram video from May 2023,
where she encouraged others living with mental health issues to seek help. Despite being
praised for her mental health initiatives, Sophie has not been immune to criticism.
The Guardian reported that Sophie landed in hot water in 2016 after she said in an
interview that she needed extra staffers to help with her responsibilities as the
prime minister's wife. Some opposing politicians berated her for this comment, while others said
this response was sexist. The Star supported Sophie's comments in an editorial, writing,
"The instant, often spiteful reaction from both
social media and other politicians who should know better smacks of ignorance
about the requirements of the role the prime minister's wife has taken on."
Moreover, Sophie and Justin were condemned in 2020 when it was revealed that the WE charity,
an organization that had been given a government contract,
had paid nearly $24,000 for Sophie to make public appearances, according to the National Post.
Although Sophie and Justin had been married since 2005,
Sophie told Erica Diamond in 2011 that she had known Justin since they were kids,
and revealed that he played hard-to-get, but eventually came around. She disclosed,
"On our first date, our very first date, he looked into my eyes, and said, 'I've been
waiting for you 31 years. You're going to be my wife. We're going to have a family together.'"
That they did, but in early August 2023, Sophie and Justin dropped shocking news,
announcing on Instagram that they were separating. Sophie wrote, in part,
"As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect
for each other for everything we have built and will continue to build."
Sophie also posted the news on her Instagram in French. According to the Guardian,
the two have made a legal separation agreement. Justin's office released a statement that read,
"They have worked 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."
Sophie is not only a public figure, she's also a mother. Moreover,
her two oldest children, Xavier and Ella-Grace,
are teenagers — putting them at particular risk of mental health issues such as eating disorders.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
are most commonly seen in patients between the ages of 12 and 25. Sophie wants to get
the word out to fellow mothers not only to safeguard their children's mental health,
but also their own. She told the Toronto Star in 2021,
"I think as parents, we have the responsibility to tame our own
fears because as adults we have greater tools with experience, one would hope,
to deal with our emotions, and then children will feed off that."
"Being real is not a strategy; being real is just showing who you are."
She added that parents have to practice self-care in order to help their kids
deal with their overwhelming emotions. In her sit-down with Erica Diamond,
Sophie also offered signs for parents that a child or teen may have an eating disorder, adding,
"The most important thing if you suspect an eating disorder, is to have the awkward
conversation instead of remaining in silence. Move past the fact that it may be uncomfortable,
and have that conversation. Those awkward moments could save a life."
Now that the Trudeaus have called it quits, Sophie has to rebuild her image as a private
citizen. As CTV News pointed out, she will no longer represent the Canadian government in any
capacity. She'll also lose out on the privileges she formerly enjoyed as the prime minister's wife,
such as attending important international conferences and high-profile events.
She and Justin joined the many mourners at Queen Elizabeth II's
funeral in September 2022 and returned to London eight months later to celebrate the
coronation of King Charles III. And while the prime minister will continue to host
honored visitors to his residence, Sophie will be left out of the loop.
The timing of the split is also regrettable from a PR standpoint. Just a few months earlier,
Sophie had announced the upcoming publication of her new book, "Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves,
Loving Each Other." Dropping in April 2024, the book is described as "a deeply personal
journey toward self-knowledge, acceptance, and empowerment."
Now it remains to be seen whether Sophie will do any last-minute revisions to reflect recent
events, as Prince Harry did for his memoir, "Spare," following the death of the queen.
The book's title may also come off as ironic in the wake of their separation.