Not a fairy tale ending: The unanticipated split of Trudeau and Sophie

The exemplary love story of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and first lady Sophie Grégoire was nothing short of a movie. 

Their acquaintance dates back to their elementary school. As they grew older, their paths drifted apart, but eventually crossed again when the two were coincidentally assigned to co-host a gala in 2003. Fast forward to 2005, the world saw Justin on his knees for the love of his life — a scene directly out of a fairy tale, adorned in candles, rose petals, and jazz.

Anyhow, 18 years on, that fairytale appears to have lost its magic, with the pair stunning the world on Wednesday by announcing that they are separating.

Justin is the oldest son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau and his wife, Margaret, and spent his early years at 24 Sussex Drive, the prime minister's residence in Ottawa. He has been living a celebrated life since birth, given the status of his father. He, undoubtedly, was a popular kid and the Canadians saw him growing up in front of their eyes.

The unanticipated ending of the almost two-decade-long partnership came as a surprise to Canadians, as Justin always had sought-after careers in TV screen and politics. He is probably one of the most good-looking prime ministers in history and his marriage falling apart has always been a scenario his fans feared. 

But again and again, he proved the world wrong by being committed to the union, and he has been an exemplary family guy till date. During the pandemic, the couple made headlines repeatedly when they tested Covid-19 positive and went into isolation together. 

"In sickness and in health," the vows echoed.

So, what went wrong? Did politics trump conjugal life?

By the look of it, the divorce seemingly followed in the footsteps of his father, who went through a divorce in his dying days in politics. Justin is the first prime minister to go through a divorce while in office since Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau, Justin Trudeau's mother, separated in 1977 and divorced in 1984. 

Although, there are some differences: Justin and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau have been married for 18 years, while the prime minister's parents separated after just six years. And there is only a four-year age gap between the Justin-Sofie duo, while Justin's parents had a 29-year age gap.

The entire event is not just the unravelling of a marriage, but also of a political partnership. Sophie has not just been the wife to Trudeau and the mother of his children, but also an adviser on everything from campaign style to the biggest decisions Trudeau has made.

The actual reasons that caused the divorce have yet to be uncovered. Unforeseen challenges of political life, unconfirmed allegations of infidelity and Justin's demanding political career might have played roles. Rumours linking Justin Trudeau to Melanie Joly, foreign minister of Canada, have also resurfaced.

The actual reasons that caused the divorce have yet to be uncovered. Unforeseen challenges of political life, unconfirmed allegations of infidelity and Justin's demanding political career might have played roles. Rumours linking Justin Trudeau to Melanie Joly, foreign minister of Canada, have also resurfaced. 

Although unconfirmed, these factors might have contributed to speculations about the marriage's demise. The alleged relationship and its impact on the couple have become a hot topic in Canadian media.

In statements posted on Instagram, the couple said they made the decision after "many meaningful and difficult conversations" and requested privacy. For now, given the record, there is no solid factor that has possibly started the mentioned "difficult conversation" and the fiasco. 

Although quite normalised now, it wasn't too long ago when conjugal difficulties could endanger politicians' lives or wreck their careers. We all know the messy truths of the infamous divorce of the Charles-Diana couple. The revelations of infidelity in his marriage to Princess Diana left King Charles deeply unpopular. While he has managed to regain some positive sentiment among the British public, he remains less esteemed than many other members of the Royal family.

Reportedly, the Trudeau-Sophie couple are aiming for joint custody of their children. Trudeau and the children will continue to live at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, the prime minister's official residence, where he has lived since 2015.