Like many public statements on the disintegration of a high-profile split these days, this one appeared on Instagram. “After many meaningful and difficult conversations”, a joint post said, Mr Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, had separated from his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. The couple, who have three children and have been married for 18 years, were once seen to have had a fairy-tale romance. But while the story was soon dominating headlines, millions also gave a digital shrug.

Once upon a time, for most world leaders, major political capital lay in the careful crafting of at least the outward appearance of a stable marriage and persona as a family man or woman. According to Ms Lori Gottlieb, a psychotherapist and a host of the Dear Therapists podcast, people wanted to feel that their leaders were a solid and steady presence, much as children want to feel safe with their parents, the leaders of their family.