Photo: Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, have decided to separate at 62 and 68, respectively.
However, the pair—who tied the knot in 1994—don’t plan to divorce. Instead, they will reportedly date other people while sharing their Park Slope, Brooklyn, townhouse.
Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray shared the news during a sit-down with The New York Times on Wednesday (Jul. 5).
The political figure noted that after an evening of chillin’, he straight-up asked McCray, “Why aren’t you lovey-dovey anymore?”
This led to a discussion on the nature of their union, and they ultimately decided to go their separate ways while continuing to cohabitate.
Regarding the decision, Bill de Blasio said people can “feel” when a relationship is meeting its end, and they “don’t want to live that way.”
“You can feel when things are off, and you don’t want to live that way.”
In turn, McCray agreed and added, “You can’t fake it.”
While Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray—who share two children, aged 28 and 25—announced the development, the politician noted that his career played a factor in the demise of their relationship.
In fact, Bill went as far as to proclaim that their “marriage would not have reached this place if [he] had never been mayor.”
Specifically, the “overwhelming schedule” and “series of tasks” he was responsible for “took away a little bit of [their] soul.” Other issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and his 2020 presidential run only added further fuel to the fire.
He added that, in hindsight, he and McCray should’ve focused on whether they were truly happy in their relationship.
“I can look back now and say, ‘Here were these inflection points where we should have been saying something to each other.’ And I think one of the things I should have said more is: ‘Are you happy? What will make you happy? What’s missing in your life?'”
