All The Cheating Rumors In Justin And Sophie Trudeau's Marriage Revealed

In early August 2023, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Instagram that he and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, were splitting up. "After many meaningful and difficult conversations, we have made the decision to separate." Sophie posted the French version of the message on her page. The couple were married in May 2005 and have three kids together. 

The separation came with no warning, with some noting Justin was seen with his wedding ring firmly in place just days before the post. In June, Sophie penned a tribute to her husband on Father's Day. While some were shocked at the announcement, others were not. In addition to signs the marriage was steady, there were also hints of trouble and that everything was not as it seemed. 

On July 1, Canada Day, Sophie took to social media to ask her fellow countrymen to be considerate and compassionate toward each other. "Life is tough. No doubt about it. Everyone has their troubles, no matter what your story is." While she didn't mention her husband directly, her chosen language could indicate she was thinking about her relationship with Justin and their upcoming separation. And then, there are the rumors that have plagued the couple's marriage for years — including whispers of extramarital affairs by both Justin and Sophie.

Rumors have swirled around Justin Trudeau and whether or not he has cheated on his wife. During an interview with CBC, the Prime Minister described his relationship with his Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. "Our marriage isn't perfect, and we have had difficult ups and downs, yet Sophie remains my best friend, my partner, my love. We are honest with each other, even when it hurts."

The outlet then asked Justin if his comment was a code for extramarital affairs, to which he responded with a decisive "No," followed by a further explanation. "This is a conversation about the kinds of challenges that any real marriage goes through. Tremendous ups and downs, but as I say, we are deeply in love and committed to each other, and we continue to be."

One such rumored affair has involved Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, whom Justin has worked closely with over the years. Though Joly has reportedly denied anything has ever occurred between the two of them, suspicions over their relationship continue to swirl, with people citing pictures of the two looking close. Rumors were also reactivated after Justin reorganized his cabinet in late July, dismissing multiple ministers and rearranging others but leaving Joly untouched.

While Justin Trudeau has been dealing with whispers of extramarital affairs, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau is not without rumors of her own. She's also been vague when discussing the couple's marriage and monogamy. When Global News reminded Sophie of her husband's response to being asked about affairs, she scoffed, "Ask if whatever happened in our lives — I'm not saying it did or didn't — as if we would answer that." She also acknowledged marriage can be hard. "I'm almost kind of proud of the fact that we've had hardship, yes, because we want authenticity. We want truth," she explained. 

In March 2020, Sophie attended a charity event in London and, days later, announced she had tested positive for COVID-19. At the same time, actor Idris Elba also shared he had contracted the virus, "I got tested because I realized I had been exposed to someone else who had also tested positive," he said via a Twitter video. Turns out the two were both at the same event, and after Elba alluded to his contact with Sophie, rumors started flying that the two were having an affair.  

While Justin and Sophie are keeping a lid on the actual reasons behind their impending divorce, political science professor Nelson Wiseman offered NPR an explanation that has nothing to do with rumored dalliances and everything to do with politics. "The separation may have been partially driven by an ultimatum from Sophie that Trudeau not contest the next election."