He was in a decades long relationship with his brother’s close friend
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Like many a politician before him, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 53, kept his private life just that: private. While his policies were often what sparked headlines in mainstream media, his love life stayed largely out of the spotlight.
However, his new romance with pop singer-turned-wannabe astronaut Katy Perry, 41, has flipped that script entirely. Since the pair were first linked earlier this year, the unexpected duo have gone from low-key PDA to hard-launching public appearances. Frankly, it’s a relationship we certainly didn’t have on our 2025 bingo card.
But long before ‘Roar’ singer Katy was on the scene, Justin had another right-hand woman. For his entire political career, the former Liberal Party leader’s ex-wife, Sophie Grégoire, has stood firmly by his side.
Here’s a look back on Justin Trudeau’s relationship history – from his long-standing marriage to his headline-making new chapter…
Who was Justin Trudeau married to?
Aside from his newest romance with pop star Katy, there’s only ever been one woman Justin Trudeau has been linked to: his ex-wife, Sophie Grégoire. Born 24 April, 1975, Sophie is currently 50 years old (making her three years younger than Justin.)
TV host Sophie has been a constant throughout Justin’s political career, standing by his side when he was elected in 2015 and again in 2021. (It wasn’t until earlier this year that Justin announced his resignation as the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party.)
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Alongside supporting her ex-husband, the former First Lady of Canada has her own impressive career. Fluent in French, English and Spanish, Sophie is a former TV correspondent for CTV’s eTalk, as well as having published her wellness themed book last year, titled Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other. She’s also an activist, raising awareness for the eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa – which she herself battled with in her early 20’s – and volunteering with the Canadian Mental Health Association.
How did Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau meet?
The pair first met as children growing up in Montreal, where Sophie was a classmate and friend of Justin’s youngest brother, Michel. Sophie recalled during a 2005 interview that she used to play at the Trudeaus’ home as a young child, and always had a crush on the future politician. ‘They had a really cool pool with a trapeze and ropes, and we could play Tarzan for hours,’ she shared.
It wasn’t until 2003 that the pair reconnected as adults during a charity fundraising event, when Sophie was assigned as Justin’s co-host. The politician later recalled how Sophie sent him an email after the event, which he chose not to respond to. Not feeling ready for a serious relationship, Justin said, ‘I didn’t delete it, I just decided, “No, I’m better off not starting anything that I’m not willing to go through with.’
As it were, fate intervened! The pair ran into each other just weeks later, going on their first date to a Afghan restaurant, followed by a karaoke bar where their songs of choice were Elton John and The Beatles.
On October 18, 2004, Justin and Sophie got engaged – with the author gushing, ‘He really went out of his way. There were candles and rose petals everywhere. I felt like I was a princess.’ They married in May 2005, tying the knot at the stunning Sainte-Madeleine d’Outremont Church in Montreal.
Do Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau have children?
Spending almost two decades together, Sophie and Justin went on to welcome three children. In October 2007, they welcomed their first son Xavier, before their daughter Ella-Grace arrived in February 2009. In February 2014, they became parents for the third time, welcoming a son named Hadrien.
Thne kids ©Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Justin had revealed in 2005 that he always had hopes for a big family, revealing, ‘Sophie was an only child so she says one is just fine, two is good, but three, you’re starting to push it a little bit. I’m very confident that once we get into it, I’ll be able to convince her that three is fine.’
When did Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau split?
In August 2023, Justin announced via social media that he and Sophie were separating after 18 years of marriage. Sharing the news on Instagram, a statement read, ‘Sophie and I would like to share the fact that after many meaningful and difficult conversations, we have made the decision to separate.’
‘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. For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy.’
Months later, Sophie gave a rare insight into their split while appearing on Katie Couric’s Next Question podcast.’ The TV star reflected, ‘It hurts deeply, because in a way we have these two words in our language. You know, marriage is “success.” Separation and divorce is “failure.” But life happens in between. And we dramatise our relationships because we are insecure, we are afraid to be abandoned, we are afraid to be alone as human beings. It is not in our nature to be alone and just living alone.’
Going on to share that she and her ex-husband are on good terms, Sophie said of Justin, ‘We are still bound by love and respect and smiles and tears, and we’re still trying to figure it out.’
Of course, it’s been two years since their low-key split, and the pair both appear to have moved on with their lives. Justin is now dating pop singer Katy Perry, after they were first spotted having dinner together in July. It comes months after Katy’s split from British actor Orlando Bloom, who she was with for nine years.
Meanwhile, Sophie has also moved on. Now living life largely away from the political spotlight, she’s said to have found love with Ottawa surgeon Marcos Bettolli.
Charlotte Roberts is a writer at Grazia UK, specialising in SEO. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment – from film review roundups to cast explainers.
