It's official! After months of feverish romance rumours, The Mail on Sunday can today reveal that pop star Katy Perry is definitely dating former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. The loved-up couple were spotted kissing and cuddling on board Perry's 24-metre yacht, the Caravelle, off the coast of Santa Barbara, California , as our exclusive photographs show.

Perry, 40, famous for hits including I Kissed a Girl, looked stunning in a black swimsuit as the pair embraced on the upper deck, seemingly oblivious to the tourists on a passing whale-watching boat. At one point Trudeau, 53, placed his hand on the singer's bottom.

The pair kicked off speculation about a budding romance in July when they were spotted having an intimate dinner at Le Violon restaurant in Montreal. However, both have refused to comment on their relationship status.

Our pictures were taken by a passenger on a passing tourist boat at the end of last month while Perry was enjoying a brief break from her Lifetimes world tour.

The witness said: 'She pulled up her boat next to a small public whale-watching boat, then they started making out. I didn't realise who she was with until I saw the tattoo on the guy's arm and I immediately realised it was Justin Trudeau.'

Trudeau, who was Canada's prime minister for a decade until stepping down earlier this year, has a distinctive 'Haida raven' inking on his upper left arm – a tribute to an indigenous Canadian people famed for their seamanship and artistry. He split from wife Sophie in August 2023 after 18 years of marriage. They have two sons, Xavier, 18, and Hadrien, 11, and a daughter, Ella-Grace, 16.

Perry has a five-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, with Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom. She was married to comedian Russell Brand from 2010 until 2012. Earlier this year, sources claimed the pair were 'in the very early stages' of 'exploring a romance'.

A source told the Daily Mail: 'Katy is very, very interested in him. She says he's a real catch, a high-quality guy. She clearly likes him a lot. He likes her a lot.'