Margaret Trudeau, mother of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, made a rare public appearance on Tuesday night, sitting courtside at an Ottawa Blackjacks basketball game alongside Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. The two were there to support Xavier Trudeau, the 18-year-old son of Justin and Sophie, who performed during halftime at the home opener of Ottawa's professional basketball team.
Xavier's father, Justin Trudeau, was not present at the event but expressed his pride in a social media post shared before the game. The video, filmed on the Blackjacks court on Monday and posted on the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Instagram, showed Xavier announcing his halftime show. "We're at TD Place," Xavier said, "performing for the Ottawa Blackjacks." Justin then appeared, stating he was "just a proud dad at soundcheck" before passing a basketball to Xavier for a half-court shot attempt.
Xavier's Rising Music Career
Xavier launched his music career last year with the single "Til The Nights Done." Since then, he has released several additional singles and his debut EP, When Does It End, in summer 2025. His performance at the Blackjacks game marks another milestone in his burgeoning career.
Margaret's Rare Public Appearance
Prior to the game, Margaret's most recent public outing was on April 10 at a retirement home in Ottawa. Sponsored by Hunt Club Manor Retirement Living and the Canadian Association of Retired People, the event was described as "a truly meaningful and powerful afternoon." Margaret shared her personal journey, focusing on breaking stigma through open conversation, building resilience and hope, and exploring ways to better support oneself and others.
Margaret's Background and Advocacy
Margaret first gained prominence in the 1970s when she married Pierre Trudeau, then Prime Minister of Canada. The couple wed in 1971, when Pierre was 51 and Margaret was 22, earning them the nickname "the royal couple." However, the marriage faltered, and Margaret was frequently photographed at New York's Studio 54. After Pierre lost his majority government in 1979, Margaret was reportedly partying with the Rolling Stones. The couple divorced in 1982, having three sons: Justin, Alexandre, and Michel, the latter of whom died in an avalanche in 1998.
Following her divorce, Margaret had high-profile relationships with celebrities such as Mick Jagger, Jack Nicholson, and Ted Kennedy, as detailed in her first book, Consequences. Decades later, she revealed her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and released a memoir, Changing My Mind, chronicling her struggles. A second memoir, The Time of Your Life, addressed challenges faced by older women.
Having largely retreated from the public eye, Margaret told Reader's Digest in 2018, "I love the position I'm in now, where I am able to make a difference as a mental-health advocate without having people watch my every move like they used to." In 2019, at age 70, she performed a one-woman show at Chicago's Second City titled Certain Woman of an Age, aimed at raising awareness about women's mental health. She serves as an honorary patron of the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. division.
