Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on 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 wellbeing.

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 together, two sons and a daughter.