Madonna & Ritchie Separated for Months Before Leak - page 2

22-11-2008This Month 22nd Nov 04:01

The British filmmaker and the Material Girl, who announced their separation last month (Oct08), were granted a decree nisi by a judge at the clinical Principal Registry of the Family Division of the High Court in High Holborn, London.

The hearing only lasted a few minutes and neither Madonna nor Ritchie were in attendance.

Although details of the settlement have not been made public, the couple will reportedly share joint custody of their sons, Rocco, eight, and David, three, who they adopted from Malawi in 2006.

The boys will split their time between Madonna in the U.S. and Ritchie in the U.K.

Madonna's daughter Lourdes, 12, will live with her mother - because she is the singer's daughter from a previous relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon.

Filmmaker Ritchie was said to have celebrated the news on Thursday (21Nov08) by raising a glass on the set of his new movie Sherlock Holmes, according to U.K. newspaper the Daily Mirror.

He told the publication: "It (the divorce proceedings) dragged on much too long and that had nothing to do with me. But it was never, ever about money."

Madonna and Ritchie wed at Skibo Castle in the Highlands of Scotland in 2000.

The marriage will be officially dissolved in six weeks time when they will be granted a decree absolute.