Sophie Grégoire Dropped Hints Her Justin Trudeau Marriage Was Doomed & Everyone Missed It

Canada's first family was dealt a heartbreaking blow in August of 2023, when then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau confirmed that their marriage of nearly 20 years was over. While this announcement may have come as a shock to fans, the fact of the matter is that there were a number of red flags in the Trudeaus' relationship that hinted they'd never last. In fact, just months before the political power couple revealed that they were going their separate ways, Justin Trudeau's ex dropped some subtle hints that their marriage was doomed — even if everyone missed it at the time.

In November 2022, Sophie appeared on "Archetypes," a short-lived podcast hosted by none other than Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Though the former first lady of Canada didn't directly imply that their longtime relationship was in trouble, Sophie did have a fair amount to say about the role she and many other women typically feel like they have to play, with respect to both society at large and their individual family units. 

"Women across this planet are still the nucleus of the family, they still carry most of the load for housework, contributing to the family's well-being and most decisions concerning the kids," Sophie argued. The reason this comment feels particularly noteworthy in hindsight is because it has long been theorized that Justin's political responsibilities took his time and attention away from their home, potentially contributing to the end of their marriage.

Among the many tragic details of Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau's split is that one if its most speculated causes was telegraphed well in advance. In October 2014, shortly before he became Prime Minister of Canada, Justin told CBC that the demanding position made it complicated for him to maintain a healthy work-life balance. "I have a very difficult, high-pressured job. Everyone knows how challenging it is to balance family responsibilities with a job that takes me across the country and working extremely hard," he admitted. At the time, Justin was the leader of Canada's Liberal Party. We can safely assume that he became even more engrossed in his work upon ascending to the nation's highest office the following year.

In March 2025 – over a decade after Justin's CBC interview took place, and about a year and a half after the beloved couple split up — Sophie made a public appearance at the South by Southwest Festival. During the panel that she took part in, the former first lady of Canada practically came right out and said that his busy schedule had negatively impacted their marriage. Sophie was asked if she was familiar with the concept of a workaholic. "Of course, I married one," she quipped in response, prompting laughter from the assembled audience (per SheKnows). The obvious humor of her comment aside, it's hard to look at it alongside Sophie's remarks on Meghan Markle's podcast, and Justin's own CBC interview, without noticing a pattern.