Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announces separation from his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that he and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, are separating.

The prime minister and his wife said in a joint statement posted to their official Instagram accounts that they had "many meaningful and difficult conversations" prior to their decision.

"As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other for everything we have built and will continue to build," he wrote.

The couple asked for privacy out of respect for the children's well-being.

Justin Trudeau's office said in a statement following the news that the couple have signed a "legal separation agreement."

"They have worked to ensure that all legal and ethical steps with regards to their decision to separate have been taken, and will continue to do so moving forward," his office said.

The office of the prime minister also said that the couple is focused on raising their kids in a safe, loving and collaborative environment.

"Both parents will be a constant presence in their children’s lives and Canadians can expect to often see the family together," the statement said. "The family will be together on vacation, beginning next week."

Sophie and Justin Trudeau first met as children in Montreal and crossed paths again at a charity event in 2003, according to Vogue. They married in 2005 and have three children, two sons and a daughter.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is a former television presenter who earned a bachelor's in communications from the Université de Montréal. According to her biography on the Liberal Party of Canada website, she has used her platform to advocate for a number of causes, including gender equity issues.

She won the UN Women National Committee Canada Recognition Award in 2013 for her contribution to human rights issues, the site states.

Justin Trudeau, son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was leader of the Liberal Party in 2013 and won his first premiership election two years later. He has since been re-elected in 2019 and 2021.

Trudeau has publicly praised his wife over the years, most recently in a post on her birthday in April. He posted two selfies with her to his social media with a caption professing his love for her.

"From this, to this, and everything in between, there’s no one I’d rather have by my side," he wrote.

He also praised her and his own mother as two of the "strongest, bravest, and greatest people" in a Mother's Day post from May.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau offered similar praise for her husband in a Father's Day post in June.

"This man could carry the love he has for his kids anywhere," she wrote. "Dads, never underestimate your role as mentors in your family for your sons and your daughters."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com