Madonna & Ritchie Separated for Months Before Leak
22 November 2008
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Madonna and Guy Ritchie lived separate lives for at least six months before their divorce - proving the couple were living a lie long before they announced their break-up.The British filmmaker and the Material Girl announced their separation last month (Oct08) and were finally granted a decree nisi by a judge in London on Friday (21Nov08).The pair was rumoured to have split as early as this summer (08), but kept the news of the break-up secret - repeatedly denying rumours of a rift and putting on a united front at public events.But now court documents show that Madonna petitioned for divorce at least six months ago and the couple have been living apart ever since, with the singer citing Ritchie's "unreasonable behaviour" as the reason behind the split.Although the date of the petition was not released, it was clear that the relationship was effectively over long before the couple's last public appearance together, at the premiere of Ritchie's RocknRolla movie in London on 1 September (08).Details of the divorce settlement have not been made public, but the couple will reportedly share joint custody of their sons, Rocco, eight, and David, three, who they adopted from Malawi in 2006.Meanwhile Madonna and Guy Ritchie's divorce has been finalised following a hearing in London on Friday (21Nov08).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.
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'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.
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