With so many scandals rocking American politics (many of them led, unsurprisingly, by Donald Trump), it’s easy for residents to overlook most national scandals. But few in the United States could ignore the messy separation that befell Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie. Canada is our neighbor to the north, and this relationship falling apart was a stark reminder that nasty breakups can happen even to the most powerful people.
Because he continues to run Canada, most of the focus after the separation has been on Justin Trudeau. And while we’re sure he has had some major struggles during all of this, it’s also important to focus on his ex-wife. Her life was completely transformed by the separation in ways that ensured she would never be the same.
Don’t believe it? Keep reading to discover how separation from her famous husband completely changed Sophie Trudeau’s life!
Sophie Trudeau worried whether the separation was her fault
Something we often talk about is that it’s easy to feel completely disconnected from the rich and powerful. What could we possibly have in common with them? Well, in the case of Sophie Trudeau, we have one heartbreaking thing in common: blaming ourselves when a relationship goes sideways!
Sophie Trudeau admitted to Vogue that she had to ask herself some very frank and introspective questions after the separation. “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 said.
Eventually, she realized that doing so is “a sign of our emotional and relational immaturity.” She knows that “the modern family is reorganizing” and that, for better or for worse, her own situation is rapidly becoming the new norm in a brave new world of relationships.
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Returning to her old career
As Justin Trudeau’s wife, Sophie had to basically put her own career on hold. It’s a lot like being the wife of an American president…Jill Biden eventually had to stop focusing on teaching, for example, so she could focus on being First Lady of the United States. For many years, Sophie’s primary job was to stand by her man, and now that they are separated, she dove right back into her old career.
Sophie Trudeau was once an accomplished television journalist. Now, she has signed up with an agency and indicated her willingness to make professional speaking engagements throughout the world. On top of this, she launched her own company: Under Your Light Communications. The company is still very young, but its very existence is a sign that Sophie is ready to put herself back out there doing what she does best.
Worries about what to call herself
For Sophie Trudeau, there were definite perks to being married to one of the most famous and influential people in the world. Once they separated, though, she discovered one of the major drawbacks: not knowing exactly what to call herself. After all, she had made a real name for herself with someone else’s name attached, so should she just drop the “Trudeau” name altogether?
In that same Vogue article, the writer asks Sophie what name she would like to go by throughout the piece. The question seemingly threw her for a loop, and she settled for “Grégoire Trudeau.” After that decision, writer Mattie Kahn pointed out that she never officially changed her name when getting married, so she likely has a passport that still reads “Sophie Grégoire.”
RELATED: The Truth About Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and His Wife Separating
Anxiety over raising the kids
Justin and Sophie Trudeau built up an entire life together during their long marriage. This included having three lovely children together. Now that they are separated, Sophie constantly worries about how all of this might be impacting the kids.
In the aforementioned interview with Vogue, she admitted that “I think it hurts me for the kids.” Still, both she and her ex-husband have remained committed to helping the children adjust to this new family dynamic. “We go along with the kids’ schedules,” she said. “We keep each other posted.”
Seeing things differently after the separation
Sophie Trudeau was already a very famous person (especially in Canada) when she married her husband. However, she later admitted that being in that relationship meant that she ended up losing a part of herself. Now that they are separated, she sees things differently and is determined to get back to the person she used to be.
As she said to Vogue, “I see my situation differently. 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.” Sophie realizes all of this is easier said than done, though, noting that “I can’t say I’ve resolved all of that.”
Still dealing with the emotional fallout of a messy split? For many of us, Sophie Trudeau is more relatable now than ever before!
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