Justin Trudeau's Ex-Wife Was Never The Same After Their Split

As the wife of Canada's much-loved prime minister, Justin Trudeau, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau reigned supreme. Not only was she a supportive partner of Trudeau and his policies, but she also did a lot of work herself, from championing women's rights to letting the people know she was there for them. So, given her position, it's only natural that when the Trudeaus announced their separation in August 2023 after almost 20 years together, fans were saddened — and worried that Sophie would retire from the public eye and they would lose her forever. Thankfully, those fears have turned out to be unwarranted, but Sophie has had to carve out her own role as a standalone public figure. 

Adjusting to a separation after so long certainly hasn't been easy for Sophie, who has had to re-form her own identity. She has been open about the trials and tribulations, from how the split changed her perception of relationships, to even struggling with what name to use post-separation. It's true that her attitude to work has changed as well, but fans haven't seen the last of her yet. 

Sophie's transformation since leaving her marriage behind is a prime example of how much relationships can shape our identity — and what it can take to pick up the pieces and move on. Let's take a look. 

Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau's relationship often looked picture-perfect, with Sophie dressed in her Sunday best as she accompanied Justin to many different official events. With that in mind, it might seem impossible that Sophie would let her hair down and party until the early hours with supermodels, but that's exactly what she did after splitting from Justin. Perhaps in a bid to enjoy her freedom after being under the thumb of national security for years, Sophie joined a friend for a quiet (but swanky) dinner in New York. The gathering had some high-profile guests, including Hillary Clinton, but Sophie's night didn't end there. 

She accompanied Jennifer Aniston's ex-husband Justin Theroux and her friend, Huma Abedin, on a night out on the tiles at a club. Abedin told Vogue that she ended up losing Sophie in the crowd. "I was panicking. I'm thinking, 'Oh, my God, this is one of her first trips and she doesn't have security.'" What happened next put Abedin's mind at ease, and certainly marked a new chapter in Sophie's post-parliamentary life. Abedin received an early-morning selfie of Sophie sitting in the back of a cab with none other than '90s icon and activist, Helena Christensen as they headed to another destination. 

For her part, Sophie laughed when the publication asked her about it, exclaiming, "I'm like a wild horse in a stall. Sometimes I just want to run in a field."

Going through the heartache of separation is difficult at the best of times, but when you're the wife of a prominent politician who is used to dedicating your life to helping people, where do you go? Sophie Grégoire Trudeau could have easily taken a step back and decided to live quietly behind closed doors, but she opted to still use her platform for good. In 2024, she released a memoir titled, "Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other." It was a labor of love for Sophie and the book that turned her into a fully-fledged author. 

Perhaps it's somewhat bittersweet though, considering that the work was finished before she separated from Justin Trudeau. It might be a good thing that it was, as the book likely opened up a revenue stream for Sophie post-marriage. 

Sophie admitted during an interview with Vogue that writing the publication, which is full of wellness advice and interviews with prominent people in this space, gave her a chance to look inward. It's not a stretch to say that working on it and promoting it in the wake of her split may have given Sophie something much-needed to focus on. It won't be Sophie's only foray into publishing, either, as she signed a deal with Penguin Random House to release a children's book in 2025.

Tragic real-life details about Sophie Grégoire Trudeau have come to light since her marriage came to an end, including how much the split rocked her sense of self. After all, spending nearly two decades with someone with whom you built a family (and, some may say, a country) is no mean feat. It wasn't an easy decision for Justin and Sophie to go their separate ways, and the two openly spoke about having seen a counselor together in the past. Neither one of them has given one singular reason for the split, and Sophie told Vogue it wasn't quite that simple. 

"Is it my fault? Is it his fault? There's a lot of blaming, when what we're all trying in our relationships and our connections is to heal ourselves or validate our emotions," she explained, going on to say she believed that many people end relationships prematurely, before trying to figure it out. "This is a sign of our emotional and relational immaturity. It's still black or white, married or divorced. But the modern family is reorganizing." 

However, despite everything, Sophie was quick to point out that she isn't totally disenfranchised and likes to believe in relationships, no matter how hers ended. Besides, she and Justin will always be intrinsically linked as they share three children, Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. 

Since their split, both Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau have proven they are committed to their kids, albeit in different ways. Navigating shared custody must be tricky given Justin's hectic schedule, and they have even vacationed together. For her part, Sophie told Vogue that she constantly worries about how the split has impacted Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. She explained that she worries they will hold onto emotional trauma, but has tried to keep things as settled as possible. "I think it hurts me for the kids," she admitted. One of the ways she navigates this is by staying put in the family home, Rideau Cottage. She splits her time between the property and another place of her own. 

Some people going through a divorce may be keen to get a fixed arrangement in place and make things very cut and dry, but when one of you is the head of state, it's easier said than done. Flexibility is the name of the game, and it's simply how the Trudeau's are operating moving forward. "We go along with the kids' schedules," Sophie told the publication. "We keep each other posted." 

While promoting her book, "Closer Together" in 2024, Sophie sat down with Etalk for an interview, where she further elaborated on how divorce can hurt children if not handled correctly. "We're so immature in the way we describe relationships and marriage ... [kids] bear the emotional grunt of all this drama," she explained. 

Politicians and their spouses often come as a pair as far as the public is concerned. One is the hard-working member of the government, while the other is there to support them, and, if they're lucky, try to make a difference from the sidelines. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau did an incredible job of transcending barriers to become almost as famous and revered as her prime minister husband, but what happened after they split? Speaking to Vogue, Sophie was sure to emphasize that while she doesn't see herself differently, she appreciates that her perspective has shifted. 

"I see my situation differently," she admitted. "I think it's important for every woman out there to have a sense of independence, to have a sense that without a partner, we can regulate our own selves, that we can be that good parent." However, it's an ongoing process for her that can't be underestimated. "I can't say I've resolved all of that." While there certainly was a time when becoming a single mother likely wasn't on Sophie's bingo card, she's having to navigate the world in a much different way than what she was used to. 

Even so, she's wise enough to know that her connection to Justin doesn't end because the ink is dry on the separation papers. "Parallel paths while having a family is possible when there's love and respect," Sophie said in the same interview. "You can still nourish each other in different ways."

Justin Trudeau's split from wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau threw up a lot of questions. After all, when they called it quits, there was only one other Canadian prime minister to separate from their spouse while still in the hot seat — Justin's own father Pierre Elliott Trudeau. For Sophie, one of the biggest questions was perhaps rather simple: What should she call herself now?  Dropping a name she has had for almost 20 years isn't quite so casual, especially when her kids carry the name as well. 

During a lengthy interview with Vogue in 2024, journalist Mattie Kahn asked Sophie how she would like to be referred to throughout the article. Though the Trudeaus had been separated for nearly a year at this point, Sophie couldn't make a quick decision but eventually decided Grégoire Trudeau was adequate. 

Interestingly, Kahn pointed out that the mother of three never filed to change her name when she married the politician in 2005, meaning that, officially speaking, Sophie's passport likely reads "Sophie Grégoire." Sophie's reluctance to settle on a moniker post-separation is a common one, with many women sharing her plight. After all, it's not so easy to hand back a name that's become a solid part of your identity — especially when you're a public figure.

It may be hard to imagine, but Sophie Grégoire Trudeau lived a whole life before she became Justin Trudeau's wife. She had established a career as a TV journalist in her younger years but took a break when Justin became Canada's leading man. Post-separation, Sophie decided it was time to return to what she knew best, and signed up with Speakers Spotlight. Coming out of retirement for Sophie means being able to pick up where she left off. According to her Speakers Spotlight profile, this could mean everything from keynote speaking to intimate chats. 

As well as listing herself as available with the agency, Sophie has her own company, named Under Your Light Communications. It's thought Sophie will use this personal brand to return to her work as a communications specialist, though she hasn't made any major announcements yet. One of the most interesting things to note is Sophie's shift toward reclaiming her previous career. Though she was unable to take on paid work previously, Sophie is now free to do as she pleases — and she isn't letting anything hold her back.

Being the wife of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau meant that Sophie Grégoire Trudeau was often busy doing her duty alongside him. When she wasn't attending events, she was looking after their three children. Undoubtedly, Sophie has kept extremely busy, so perhaps it's natural that in 2024 she spoke candidly about slowing down. During a chat with 92ndstreety, Sophie explained that she has always been used to living life at breakneck speed. "I used to be called Tornado," she told the crowd. "I used to do so many things at the same time. I'm quick, I've always been that way." She went on to say that her father used to encourage her to relax, but she didn't fully appreciate his advice until later in life.

"We don't think we're worthy of rest," she continued. "But rest is the only way that our bodies and minds make sense out of life." Given her newfound role as a single mom, author, and public speaker, Sophie likely still has a busy schedule. However, now that she's not ruled by government restrictions, her time is her own — and if she needs rest, she won't need to power through that important public engagement, first. 

Perhaps one of the biggest changes in Sophie after her marriage ended is her ability to take stock of her situation and tailor her life to suit her needs — something that women across the globe are still trying to figure out.