Who is Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's wife, as the couple announces separation?

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie are separating after 18 years of marriage.On Wednesday, the two unexpectedly. announced their separation on Instagram, possibly marking the end of their famous relationship.The two said that they made the decision after “many meaningful and difficult conversations.”A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said they both have signed a legal separation agreement.Trudeau, the 51-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous politicians, was sworn into office in 2015. He tied the knot with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau in May 2005. Together, they brought star power to the prime minister's office and appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine.They have children, 15-year-old Xavier, 14-year-old Ella-Grace and nine-year-old Hadrien.“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,” the two said on Instagram.Also read: Is Justin Trudeau soft on Khalistanis living in Canada?Meet Sophie Gregoire Born on 24 April 1975, Sophie Gregoire is the granddaughter of Jean-Jacques Blais, a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and the daughter of Jean Gregoire and Estelle Blais, according to Economic Times.The Montreal-born Gregoire worked as a personal shopper after receiving a degree in communications and then in sales, public relations, and advertising before deciding to focus on broadcast media. She joined CTV's entertainment news magazine E-talk as a Quebec reporter in 2005, following a spell at radio and television school, and began reporting on Quebec-based celebrities and stories.[caption id="attachment_12952452" align="alignnone" width="640"] Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregoire and his children Ella-Grace, Xavier and Hadrien watch the election coverage on a TV, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Reuters[/caption]In addition to being a professional public speaker, she is also certified as a yoga instructor. Most of Gregoire's remarks concern women's issues.Gregoire is a committed volunteer for a number of non-profit organisations and charities in Quebec. According to Yahoo News, she has worked with organisations such as Girls for the Cure, La Maison Bleu, which assists pregnant women who are at risk, and The Shield of Athena, which offers shelter to women and children fleeing violence.Additionally, Gregoire had also visited Africa in 2011 with her mother-in-law Margaret Trudeau, according to WomenontheFence.com, to dig wells and transport water to arid places.Gregoire has been candid about her struggles with bulimia when she was a teen. She has been speaking to teenage girls about eating disorders, and the Toronto Star claims that she has made this problem one of "her causes." “I don’t weigh myself. I don’t have a scale in the house,” the 2015 NYP article quoted her as saying.The New York Post labelled her "the hottest first lady in the world" in October 2015. She is multilingual in both English and French.The gender-balanced cabinet and increased emphasis on women's empowerment in Canadian foreign policy are just a couple of the decisions that Canada's prime minister has frequently credited her with influencing.Post her separation, Gregoire Trudeau is anticipated to get joint custody of their three children after relocating to a different house in Ottawa.Moreover, she has a two-book deal with Penguin Random House Canada. The first book, due out in 2024, will be a wellness manual geared towards adults, while the second book, due out in 2025, will be a picture book for kids.Also read: The Big Boom: Why Canada saw its population rise by more than a millionThe love storyWhen Gregoire and Trudeau first met when they were young but they didn't talk much due to their different ages. However, they reconnected in 2003, this time serving as cohosts of a charity event. She sent him an email after their flirtatious exchange, but he didn't reply. He had his reasons, so he wasn't intentionally ignoring her.In a 2016 interview with Vogue, Trudeau said, “I knew if I responded even slightly, we’d wind up going for coffee, and that would be the last date I’d ever have in my life.” Nevertheless, as luck would have it, they ran into each other again on the street. He apologised for not responding to her email and asked her out on a date. They had a fantastic date after she changed her mind after initially saying no.[caption id="attachment_12952442" align="alignnone" width="640"] Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kisses his wife Sophie Gregoire during the Liberal election night party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Reuters[/caption]"Let's just say we were both in a bit of a complicated phase in our personal lives. As soon as I met Sophie, I knew it was something serious with a lot of potential," Trudeau said during an appearance on the Quebec talk show La semaine des 4 Julie back in 2021."I didn't want to go too fast, I didn't want to miss my chance. I had to fix a few things in my life before I could just focus on her. We took our time to make sure it was the right one and I was the right one," he told Vogue.Gregoire added, “I’m a dreamer and a romantic and at the end of dinner, he said, ‘I’m 31 years old, and I’ve been waiting for you for 31 years.’ And we both cried like babies.” Yep, sobbing."Trudeau's public display of affection to his wife during the interview had surprised some. Also read: Smell a Rat: How dead mice forced shutdown of Canada PM’s residence18 years of ups and downsTrudeau and Gregoire often publicly expressed love and displayed unity, especially on birthdays and anniversaries, but over the years, their married life has seen ups and downs.Here's a look at some comments the couple have made about their married life in recent years.Trudeau, 2014 autobiography, Common Ground -- "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."Gregoire told Global News in 2015 that “no marriage is easy." "I'm almost kind of proud of the fact that we've had hardship, yes, because we want authenticity. We want truth. We want to grow closer as individuals through our lifetime and we're both dreamers and we want to be together for as long as we can."Trudeau, 28 May 2023 on Instagram -- "Every mile of this journey together is an adventure. I love you, Soph. Happy anniversary!"Trudeau, 24 April 2023 on Instagram -- "Happy birthday, Sophie. From this, to this, and everything in between, there's no one I'd rather have by my side… I love you, mon amour."Gregoire September 2020 on Instagram -- "Our first date was 17 years ago... we are not that young anymore, but what an adventure it's been. Through all the ups and the downs, you're still my person. I love you. #TBT to a quiet moment we shared somewhere along the way."With inputs from agencies