Justin Trudeau & Sophie Grégoire Trudeau: A Timeline Of Their Relationship Since The Split
Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau surprised many Canadians when they announced their split in August 2023.
Even though the couple is no longer together and has embarked on solo projects since then, they've remained committed to spending time together with their kids.
Rumours have also surfaced in the past few months about Grégoire Trudeau's love life and her alleged new relationship with an Ottawa doctor.
The former couple has kept quiet about any new relationships and what led to the end of their 18-year marriage, and many questions remain about what went wrong.
Here's a timeline of what happened right before and since the Trudeaus announced they were separating.
April-June 2023
Months before the split was announced, everything seemed fine between the Trudeaus, at least online.
On April 24, Trudeau shared a photo with Grégoire Trudeau along with a message for her birthday, saying there was "no one else" he would rather have by his side.
"I love you, mon amour," he wrote.
In early May, the couple attended the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey in London.
That appearance was followed by posts by both Trudeau and Grégoire Trudeau on Mother's Day and Father's Day with sweet messages dedicated to each other.
The Canadian PM celebrated the occasion by posting photos of Grégoire Trudeau and his own mom on May 14, calling them "two of the strongest, bravest, and greatest people we know."
Then in June, Grégoire Trudeau did the same by writing her husband "could carry the love he has for his kids anywhere."
August 2023
It came as a shock to many when the couple posted a joint statement online about their separation after 18 years of marriage.
"Hi everyone, [we] would like to share the fact that after many meaningful and difficult conversations, we have made the decision to separate," the pair wrote in an Instagram post on August 2.
According to the National Post, which spoke to an anonymous source, Grégoire Trudeau had already moved out of Rideau Cottage and into a private residence nearby by the time this post went public. The same source stated that she would still be at Rideau Cottage often to co-parent their children and would have access to the household staff while she was there.
Following the big announcement, the former couple went on a family vacation with their three kids, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien, to Tofino, B.C.
Grégoire Trudeau shared photos from the trip showing various members of the family riding a bike ride on the beach, prepping a meal and taking a seaweed bath.
On August 21, the Canadian prime minister addressed the split for the first time at a federal cabinet retreat in Prince Edward Island.
While speaking to reporters Trudeau thanked the public for their messages and support.
He also said he was ready to focus on "moving forward," reported CTV News.
September 2023
In September it was back to business for the former couple.
Keppler Speakers, a talent agency that represents motivational speakers, announced it would exclusively represent the "former unofficial First Lady of Canada" for speaking engagements, as per a press release.
Trudeau, on the other hand, travelled around Ontario and Quebec and spent time meeting with other world leaders like former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
October 2023
In October, Grégoire Trudeau announced the upcoming release of her first book, Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other. The book has a release date of April 23, 2024.
According to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, Grégoire Trudeau shares various moments throughout her life in the book, including her childhood and struggles with an eating disorder. It also includes exclusive interviews with experts like mental health specialist Dr. Gabor Maté and activist and writer Helen LaKelly Hunt.
Also in October, Grégoire Trudeau posted a couple of Instagram videos about Mental Health Week and International Day of the Girl.
Later that month, the National Post released a report claiming Grégoire Trudeau had "re-partnered" with Ottawa-area doctor Marcos Bettolli, based on his ex-wife's claims in a divorce petition.
According to the report, the divorce claim alleged that Bettolli was already in a relationship with a "high-profile individual" at the time it was filed in April 2023. While the claim didn't name Grégoire Trudeau, the Canadian outlet confirms that's who Bettolli's former spouse was referring to.
The National Post also notes that Bettolli's former spouse had security concerns for her two children with Bettolli due to who he was in a relationship with. The pediatric surgeon and his former partner reportedly separated in January 2020 but cohabitated until he moved out in February 2021 after 22 years of marriage.
Grégoire Trudeau has not confirmed whether she and Bettolli are dating.
The Canadian prime minister has not addressed the alleged new relationship either.
On October 31, he did share family photos of himself and his kids all dressed up to go trick-or-treating for Halloween.
November 2023
On November 11, Grégoire Trudeau marked Remembrance Day by sharing a poem she wrote in French for her great uncle who served and died in the Second World War.
Later that month, she shared a photo with her three kids to mark National Child Day.
December 2023
December 2023 marked the first holiday season for the Trudeaus following the news of the split.
The Canadian prime minister marked the season by releasing his annual Christmas card on Instagram, and Grégoire Trudeau was nowhere to be seen in the photo collage. The pictures were mostly of the couple's three children.
Grégoire Trudeau had released a similar card with family photos in years past, but she skipped it in 2023.
The Canadian PM also did his year-end interview in December and, while speaking to a Quebec outlet, was asked about his dating life.
Not surprisingly, Canada's top politician didn't say much on the topic. According to the National Post, Trudeau said he was focusing on his children and "strongly hinted" that he has no time for a romantic relationship.
January 2024
In an Instagram post on January 1, Grégoire Trudeau said goodbye to 2023 and that she was looking forward to 2024, which she claimed would be an "auspicious" year.
"I love you Life. I always have. I learn so much from your unfolding and there's more to come," she wrote alongside an uncharacteristically blurry photo of herself walking towards the ocean.
In early January it was confirmed that Grégoire Trudeau had spent the holidays with her kids and Trudeau at a luxury beach resort in Jamaica.
The National Post reports the prime minister and his family stayed at the same resort they vacationed at during the 2023 holidays, which rents for $9,300 per night. Trudeau's office later confirmed in a statement to the Canadian Press that the accommodation came "at no cost at a location owned by family friends."
The Conservatives have called for an ethics probe into the vacation, as reported by Global News.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
