The Valentine’s Day landscape is proving to be a complex one for Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, ex-wife of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. While her former husband’s burgeoning romance with Katy Perry continues to make headlines, Grégoire Trudeau has publicly reflected on the experience of navigating the holiday as an “uncoupled” woman approaching her fifties.
In a recent post to her newsletter, Closer Together, Grégoire Trudeau acknowledged the emotional weight of the day, writing, “Fine. I’ll admit it. On the surface, being ‘uncoupled’ at 50 on Valentine’s Day doesn’t make me feel amazing.” The sentiment, shared on , speaks to a broader experience of “midlife singlehood” that she describes as a period of recalibration rather than loss.
Grégoire Trudeau’s reflections come nearly three years after she and Justin Trudeau announced their separation in , after 18 years of marriage. The announcement was made via matching Instagram posts, signaling a conscious decision to move forward separately while continuing to co-parent their three children: Xavier, 18, Ella-Grace, 17 and Hadrien, 11.
The path following the separation hasn’t been without its own complexities. Shortly after the split became public, reports surfaced – and were later confirmed – of Grégoire Trudeau’s involvement with Ottawa pediatric surgeon Dr. Marcos Bettolli. However, that relationship has since ended. Bettolli’s estranged wife, Ana Remonda, filed for divorce in , alleging in court documents that Bettolli had “re-partnered with a high-profile individual who attracts significant media attention.”
Grégoire Trudeau’s newsletter delves into the internal work required to navigate such transitions. She writes about the societal pressures placed on individuals, particularly women, to conform to certain expectations of appearance, and emotion. “We’ve been taught – sometimes gently, sometimes harshly – that our bodies, our emotions, our authenticity need adjusting to be accepted,” she observes. This constant reshaping, she suggests, can lead to a nervous system primed for vigilance rather than ease.
Her focus now, she indicates, is on self-love, which she defines not as a destination but as an ongoing practice. “In many ways, self-love is being aware of our defense mechanisms and adaptive behaviors,” she explains. “It’s about unlearning them and choosing to change some of our emotional habits.”
Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau’s personal life has taken a decidedly public turn. His relationship with Katy Perry, which began to attract attention in , has quickly evolved. The pair have been frequently photographed together, including a notable appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, where Perry was seen arriving on Trudeau’s arm. Perry’s recent split from Orlando Bloom reportedly occurred around the same time her relationship with Trudeau began, though sources suggest the timing was unexpected.
Grégoire Trudeau addressed the public scrutiny surrounding her ex-husband’s new relationship in a November interview on the podcast ‘Arlene is Alone.’ She acknowledged the potential for triggering content and emphasized her agency in how she processes it. “I’m very aware that a lot of public stuff out there can be triggers. What I do with it is my decision,” she stated. “Does that mean I don’t have emotions? That I don’t cry, scream, laugh? No.”
Despite the changes, Grégoire Trudeau remains committed to co-parenting with Trudeau, emphasizing their continued partnership in raising their children. “I’m definitely not a single mom. I have a partnership with a father who has such deep love and availability to his children,” she said.
Grégoire Trudeau recently showcased another facet of her public persona with a guest appearance on the French-Canadian version of ‘The Masked Singer,’ Chanteurs Masqués, in December. Performing both a classic and a contemporary song, she offered a glimpse into her artistic side, singing a rendition of ‘I Put a Spell On You’ and ‘Faufile,’ a song containing the lyric, “Everything I love, I break.”
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Grégoire Trudeau’s candid reflections offer a nuanced perspective on love, loss, and the ongoing process of self-discovery. Her willingness to share her experiences resonates with a broader conversation about navigating life’s transitions with authenticity and resilience, even – and perhaps especially – in the public eye.
