Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray

Bill de Blasio, the former two-term mayor of New York City, and his wife Chirlane McCray have made headlines again — but this time not for policy or politics. Instead, their decades-long marriage has entered a new chapter that blurs public expectations of relationships, separation, and love in the modern age.

A High-Profile Marriage Begins

Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray met in the early 1990s while both were working in public service under then-Mayor David Dinkins. They married in 1994 and became one of the most visible political couples in New York. Their interracial union — de Blasio is White and McCray is Black — and their shared identity as parents became central to de Blasio’s political brand during his 2013 campaign for mayor.

Together they raised two children, Dante and Chiara, and supported each other through the intense spotlight that came with citywide office.

When Love and Public Life Collide

After nearly three decades together, the relationship began showing signs of strain. In July 2023, the couple publicly announced that they were separating. What made this announcement unusual was not just the longevity of their marriage — but their decision not to seek a divorce. Instead, the pair said they planned to continue living together in their Park Slope home while dating other people.

In a lengthy joint interview, they described a mutual decision rooted in friendship and respect after both acknowledged that the spark of their marriage had faded. De Blasio himself reflected that the grueling schedule of public office, including the pandemic and his presidential bid, had worn on their connection.

McCray, meanwhile, said she was looking forward to having more fun and exploring life beyond the intense pressures of being in a mayoral “power couple.”

Separation Without Divorce: A New Norm?

The arrangement — a kind of committed separation where a couple remains legally married while living independently and exploring other relationships — startled many observers.

To fans and critics alike, it raised questions:

• Why stay married?
• Is this an emotional partnership without romance?
• Or is it a practical decision — for health care, housing, or family continuity?

While neither de Blasio nor McCray publicly outlined every reason why divorce was off the table, their choice underscored that marital status isn’t one-size-fits-all, and couples may define their relationships on their own terms.

Bill de Blasio’s Romantic Life Since the Separation

In the years following their separation, de Blasio’s personal life became fodder for tabloid headlines. In early 2025, he entered a widely publicized relationship with Nomiki Konst, a political analyst and activist significantly younger than him. That relationship lasted about 10 months and drew mainstream attention due to the age gap and their overlapping political circles.

However, that relationship ended amid reports of an affair with Roxanna Valenzuela, the Mayor of South Tucson, Arizona. The reported affair became public knowledge in late 2025 — sparking even more media scrutiny of de Blasio’s personal decisions and how they intersect with his very public identity.

Despite the romantic turbulence, de Blasio remains legally married to McCray — a living example that separation does not have to mean erasing shared history.

Bill de Blasio’s marriage story isn’t a typical divorce narrative. Instead, it’s a snapshot of how relationships — even those under the world’s gaze — can adapt, evolve, and defy conventional labels. In a world where love and partnership have countless forms, their journey underscores that marriage and separation are personal, fluid, and sometimes reinvented rather than ended.