U.S. pop star Madonna and Guy Ritchie ended eight years of marriage in a few minutes Friday when a British court granted them a "quickie" divorce.
Neither Madonna, 50, nor British film director Ritchie, 40, were in court for the hearing, according to the Press Association. It was listed Thursday under the names Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S.
A sworn statement released by the court showed Madonna petitioned for divorce on the grounds of Ritchie's unreasonable behavior and she said the behavior was continuing.
In another court document, district judge Philip Waller said he was happy the court did not need to exercise its powers under the Children Act nor give directions under the Matrimonial Causes Act.
Family lawyers said the document did not necessarily mean the terms of the divorce had been finalized, just that the court was happy with arrangements as they stood now.
The couple announced the split last month, nearly eight years after their fairytale wedding at Skibo Castle in Scotland.
Details of the terms of the divorce have not been made public, although several newspapers said Ritchie would not be seeking a share of Madonna's money. A source close to the singer said the deal was not as straightforward as reports suggest.
Their combined wealth has been estimated at around $525 million, but Madonna accounts for the bulk of it.
CUSTODY CONCERNS
Potentially more difficult is how Madonna and Ritchie share custody of their children. Reports say Madonna wants to live in the United States while Ritchie plans to remain in Britain.
The couple have a son, Rocco, who was several months old on their wedding day in December 2000.
In 2006 Madonna applied to adopt David Banda, a boy from Malawi whose mother died shortly after his birth and whose biological father has supported the adoption.
A Malawian court approved the adoption in May.
The singer also has a daughter Lourdes, born in 1996, from her relationship with fitness trainer Carlos Leon. She was married once before, to actor Sean Penn, in the 1980s.
Lawyers said the couple had largely succeeded in keeping details of the divorce private, unlike singer Paul McCartney's acrimonious split from Heather Mills earlier in the year.
"If it has been settled it is fantastic for them and the family that it has been kept out of the limelight," said Anna Wagstaff, a partner in the family department at London law firm Gordon Dadds.
Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16, 1958, into a large Italian-Catholic family.
She went on to become one of the most successful singers of all time with estimated album sales of more than 200 million and is in the middle of her "Sticky & Sweet" world tour. Ritchie is a British film director who is making Hollywood blockbuster "Sherlock Holmes" starring Robert Downey Jr. as the Victorian-era super sleuth.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Christopher Ciccone Talks About his Sister and the GUY RITCHIE MADONNA DIVORCE
Pop megastar Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie are to divorce, a newspaper reported on Wednesday, saying an announcement was imminent.
After months of media speculation about strains in the eight-year marriage, The Sun tabloid cited a "highly-placed source" as saying the split was being pushed for by 40-year-old Ritchie.
"It's very sad. They were a great couple and brilliant parents. They just couldn't live together any more," said the source, adding that they "can't bear to live with the pretence any longer".
The American singer's spokeswoman Barbara Charone told AFP: "We're not going to know anything until the US wakes up", adding that she was not even clear if there would be an announcement at that stage.
Madonna, who is in the middle of her "Sticky and Sweet" world tour, married Ritchie in December 2000 in a lavish ceremony at a Scottish castle after meeting at a dinner party given by rock star Sting.
The couple have an eight-year-old son, Rocco, and a three-year-old son adopted in Malawi, David Banda. Madonna also has a 12-year-old daughter called Lourdes by her former fitness trainer Carlos Leon.
In July, Madonna, 50, took the rare step of issuing a formal denial of reports linking her to US baseball star Alex Rodriguez, adding in a statement: "My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce."
But according to The Sun, Ritchie -- famous for gangster films including "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" -- has become frustrated, seeing her as a "dead weight around his neck" and now wants a divorce to be agreed quickly.
"Guy's said if they were going to split, it has to be now -- and their marriage will finally be over in a matter of weeks," the source told The Sun.
The newspaper said that a statement "confirming their marriage is over has been prepared and is set to be released imminently."
Madonna's mother-in-law, Ritchie's mother Lady Amber Leighton, made no comment to reporters who gathered outside her west London home, saying: "We are not talking to press and we won't be all day."
The singer was believed to be in Boston, according to the schedule of her world tour which includes dates in the United States and Canada over the next few weeks. Her next stop is Toronto on Saturday.
Top celebrity publicist Max Clifford said that marriages between two high-profile people were bound to have strains.
"It's always difficult for two people very much in the public spotlight, that have succesful careers, to also have a successful relationship," he told Sky News television.
"It's almost a conflict because of the demands of the business, the demands of the career... you can only see potential clashes along the way and possibly that's what's been happening," he added.
Madonna, born Madonna Louise Ciccone, was previously married to US actor Sean Penn, from 1985 to 1989.
In July, Madonna's estranged brother said he believed she was committed to her marriage to Ritchie.
"She's not the kind of person just to walk away," Christopher Ciccone told US television, adding that the pop legend will "do what's best for her family and her kids.
After months of media speculation about strains in the eight-year marriage, The Sun tabloid cited a "highly-placed source" as saying the split was being pushed for by 40-year-old Ritchie.
"It's very sad. They were a great couple and brilliant parents. They just couldn't live together any more," said the source, adding that they "can't bear to live with the pretence any longer".
The American singer's spokeswoman Barbara Charone told AFP: "We're not going to know anything until the US wakes up", adding that she was not even clear if there would be an announcement at that stage.
Madonna, who is in the middle of her "Sticky and Sweet" world tour, married Ritchie in December 2000 in a lavish ceremony at a Scottish castle after meeting at a dinner party given by rock star Sting.
The couple have an eight-year-old son, Rocco, and a three-year-old son adopted in Malawi, David Banda. Madonna also has a 12-year-old daughter called Lourdes by her former fitness trainer Carlos Leon.
In July, Madonna, 50, took the rare step of issuing a formal denial of reports linking her to US baseball star Alex Rodriguez, adding in a statement: "My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce."
But according to The Sun, Ritchie -- famous for gangster films including "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" -- has become frustrated, seeing her as a "dead weight around his neck" and now wants a divorce to be agreed quickly.
"Guy's said if they were going to split, it has to be now -- and their marriage will finally be over in a matter of weeks," the source told The Sun.
The newspaper said that a statement "confirming their marriage is over has been prepared and is set to be released imminently."
Madonna's mother-in-law, Ritchie's mother Lady Amber Leighton, made no comment to reporters who gathered outside her west London home, saying: "We are not talking to press and we won't be all day."
The singer was believed to be in Boston, according to the schedule of her world tour which includes dates in the United States and Canada over the next few weeks. Her next stop is Toronto on Saturday.
Top celebrity publicist Max Clifford said that marriages between two high-profile people were bound to have strains.
"It's always difficult for two people very much in the public spotlight, that have succesful careers, to also have a successful relationship," he told Sky News television.
"It's almost a conflict because of the demands of the business, the demands of the career... you can only see potential clashes along the way and possibly that's what's been happening," he added.
Madonna, born Madonna Louise Ciccone, was previously married to US actor Sean Penn, from 1985 to 1989.
In July, Madonna's estranged brother said he believed she was committed to her marriage to Ritchie.
"She's not the kind of person just to walk away," Christopher Ciccone told US television, adding that the pop legend will "do what's best for her family and her kids.
More on the MADONNA GUY RITCHIE DIVORCE
British newspapers are reporting that pop megastar Madonna, 50, and her husband Guy Ritchie, 40, are splitting up and have plans to divorce before the end of the year.
UK's The Sun, citing an unnamed source, says that the couple is splitsville because they can no longer live together. The paper also says the pair plans to finalize their divorce before Christmas.
"Despite huge attempts to patch things up they both knew deep down that divorce was on the cards," the source tells the publication. "It wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when.' They tried hard over the last few months but their fighting was getting out of control."
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail is also reporting that the divorce announcement is "imminent."
Madonna and Ritchie married nearly eight years ago. The two have three children -- 12-year-old daughter Lourdes, born to Madonna from a previous relationship, and sons Rocco, 8, and David, 2.
Madonna is currently on her "Sticky & Sweet" tour, and recently arrived solo to the star-studded screening of her directorial debut in the new film 'Filth and Wisdom.'
UK's The Sun, citing an unnamed source, says that the couple is splitsville because they can no longer live together. The paper also says the pair plans to finalize their divorce before Christmas.
"Despite huge attempts to patch things up they both knew deep down that divorce was on the cards," the source tells the publication. "It wasn't a matter of 'if' but 'when.' They tried hard over the last few months but their fighting was getting out of control."
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail is also reporting that the divorce announcement is "imminent."
Madonna and Ritchie married nearly eight years ago. The two have three children -- 12-year-old daughter Lourdes, born to Madonna from a previous relationship, and sons Rocco, 8, and David, 2.
Madonna is currently on her "Sticky & Sweet" tour, and recently arrived solo to the star-studded screening of her directorial debut in the new film 'Filth and Wisdom.'
MADONNA AND GUY RITCHIE DIVORCE- Who gets What
Madonna may think twice about filing for divorce in England, as a string of high profile have settlements won London the reputation of being the divorce capital of the world - for the poorer partner in a marriage.
The pop singer is reported not to have signed a pre-nuptial agreement with Guy Ritchie, which might have helped to limit his ultimate payout.
Faced with judgements such as the £48m award to Beverley Charman from her insurance magnate husband John's £161m fortune in 2006, Madonna might decide she can hang on to more of the couple's reported £300m fortune by filing in the US, where awards to partners are generally lower.
"New York might be a better place in terms of what she might have to pay out," said Elizabeth Baghurst, associate at Boodle Hatfield in Oxford.
"For someone like Madonna, who is very wealthy, the UK is not at the present time thought to be a good place to have your divorce, as the payouts are big.
"She would have to meet the residency requirements to fall under New York jurisdiction, but she has a home there (a £2m apartment overlooking Central Park)."
If Guy Ritchie tried to file for divorce in London, the ensuing battle over jurisdiction could make the divorce drag on for over a year - a far cry from Madonna's reported desire to have the whole matter done and dusted by Christmas. But trying to conclude a divorce in eight weeks was always going to be a tall order.
"Even if you have reached an agreement about everything, to get a divorce by Christmas is pushing it," says Ms Baghurst. "The normal duration is 12-16 weeks, to give time to serve papers within set time limits and to obtain a timeslot at court."
Assuming the couple can't agree and the case does go ahead at the High Court in London, the quantum - exactly how much each side could expect to walk away with - would be decided by legal argument over the so-called Section 25 factors listed in the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act, says Elizabeth Hicks, head of family law at Irwin Mitchell in London.
The process starts with each partner disclosing to the court everything they own and earn - a point of controversy in Heather Mills' divorce from Sir Paul McCartney, when she claimed his fortune topped £800m but the court put it at £400m.
Wealth and property which predate the relationship are usually treated differently from wealth built up during the marriage, where courts may consider a more equal split, says Ms Hicks.
The Section 25 factors affecting the division include the length of the marriage, the standards of living that both parties have got used to, their respective ages, their earning capacities, past and present and even future income, and whether either has placed their career on hold to help the other - possibly a sore point with RItchie, whose film directing career has languished during the marriage, and is only now starting to revive.
After time spent living together and eight years of marriage, the court would be unlikely to reduce Ritchie's payout because the couple's relationship was a short one - unlike Mills's four year marriage to Sir Paul, which ended with a £24.3m settlement.
Conduct is not normally taken into account unless it involves attempted murder or serious financial wrongdoing, so rumours linking Madonna's name with US basketball star Alex 'A-Rod' Rodriguez would probably play no part.
Madonna and Ritchie are reported to have fallen out over their children, with the singer keen to adopt a second child from Africa and the film director opposed. Ritchie is also said to be unhappy that Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, and David, 2, are being uprooted by Madonna's international lifestyle.
The family division of the High Court would only agree to rule on the children's future if the couple were unable to agree, and it would base any ruling on the best interests of the children.
Lourdes' reported desire to see more of her natural father, fitness trainer Carlos Leon who is allegedly staying in one of Madonna's New York flats at present, might be taken into account, although Hicks says that lawyers and courts will always urge a divorcing couple to keep as much continuity in children's lives as possible, with their holidays divided between two parents.
Hicks urged the warring couple to try to settle out of court by using collaborative law, a process imported from the US where each takes their own lawyer into mediation sessions, and where the lawyers are sacked if they fail to help their clients reach agreement. She added that a repeat of the Mills-McCartney divorce bloodbath was unlikely.
"I would have thought that because of who they are, they would just split the capital, and he would walk away from it and she would walk away from it," said Ms Hicks. "He wasn't penniless before the marriage."
Ms Baghurst put a settlement of £50m for RItchie as within the bounds of possibility, but Ms Hicks said that, with all the variables, a figure was too difficult to call.
Ayesha Vardag of Ayesha Vardag Solicitors says a Ritchie and Madonna divorce could dwarf the figures involved in the Mills-McCartney break-up.
“While clearly Madonna has been the bigger hitter, arguably Guy Ritchie has had to take a back seat in his own career in order to back her up and support the family emotionally during her demanding work”, Vardag says.
“The law doesn’t discriminate between breadwinner and home maker - it doesn’t in most circumstances matter who earned the money if they were married and therefore a team. One way or another, this divorce should result in a huge payout for Guy Ritchie if properly handled.”
The pop singer is reported not to have signed a pre-nuptial agreement with Guy Ritchie, which might have helped to limit his ultimate payout.
Faced with judgements such as the £48m award to Beverley Charman from her insurance magnate husband John's £161m fortune in 2006, Madonna might decide she can hang on to more of the couple's reported £300m fortune by filing in the US, where awards to partners are generally lower.
"New York might be a better place in terms of what she might have to pay out," said Elizabeth Baghurst, associate at Boodle Hatfield in Oxford.
"For someone like Madonna, who is very wealthy, the UK is not at the present time thought to be a good place to have your divorce, as the payouts are big.
"She would have to meet the residency requirements to fall under New York jurisdiction, but she has a home there (a £2m apartment overlooking Central Park)."
If Guy Ritchie tried to file for divorce in London, the ensuing battle over jurisdiction could make the divorce drag on for over a year - a far cry from Madonna's reported desire to have the whole matter done and dusted by Christmas. But trying to conclude a divorce in eight weeks was always going to be a tall order.
"Even if you have reached an agreement about everything, to get a divorce by Christmas is pushing it," says Ms Baghurst. "The normal duration is 12-16 weeks, to give time to serve papers within set time limits and to obtain a timeslot at court."
Assuming the couple can't agree and the case does go ahead at the High Court in London, the quantum - exactly how much each side could expect to walk away with - would be decided by legal argument over the so-called Section 25 factors listed in the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act, says Elizabeth Hicks, head of family law at Irwin Mitchell in London.
The process starts with each partner disclosing to the court everything they own and earn - a point of controversy in Heather Mills' divorce from Sir Paul McCartney, when she claimed his fortune topped £800m but the court put it at £400m.
Wealth and property which predate the relationship are usually treated differently from wealth built up during the marriage, where courts may consider a more equal split, says Ms Hicks.
The Section 25 factors affecting the division include the length of the marriage, the standards of living that both parties have got used to, their respective ages, their earning capacities, past and present and even future income, and whether either has placed their career on hold to help the other - possibly a sore point with RItchie, whose film directing career has languished during the marriage, and is only now starting to revive.
After time spent living together and eight years of marriage, the court would be unlikely to reduce Ritchie's payout because the couple's relationship was a short one - unlike Mills's four year marriage to Sir Paul, which ended with a £24.3m settlement.
Conduct is not normally taken into account unless it involves attempted murder or serious financial wrongdoing, so rumours linking Madonna's name with US basketball star Alex 'A-Rod' Rodriguez would probably play no part.
Madonna and Ritchie are reported to have fallen out over their children, with the singer keen to adopt a second child from Africa and the film director opposed. Ritchie is also said to be unhappy that Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, and David, 2, are being uprooted by Madonna's international lifestyle.
The family division of the High Court would only agree to rule on the children's future if the couple were unable to agree, and it would base any ruling on the best interests of the children.
Lourdes' reported desire to see more of her natural father, fitness trainer Carlos Leon who is allegedly staying in one of Madonna's New York flats at present, might be taken into account, although Hicks says that lawyers and courts will always urge a divorcing couple to keep as much continuity in children's lives as possible, with their holidays divided between two parents.
Hicks urged the warring couple to try to settle out of court by using collaborative law, a process imported from the US where each takes their own lawyer into mediation sessions, and where the lawyers are sacked if they fail to help their clients reach agreement. She added that a repeat of the Mills-McCartney divorce bloodbath was unlikely.
"I would have thought that because of who they are, they would just split the capital, and he would walk away from it and she would walk away from it," said Ms Hicks. "He wasn't penniless before the marriage."
Ms Baghurst put a settlement of £50m for RItchie as within the bounds of possibility, but Ms Hicks said that, with all the variables, a figure was too difficult to call.
Ayesha Vardag of Ayesha Vardag Solicitors says a Ritchie and Madonna divorce could dwarf the figures involved in the Mills-McCartney break-up.
“While clearly Madonna has been the bigger hitter, arguably Guy Ritchie has had to take a back seat in his own career in order to back her up and support the family emotionally during her demanding work”, Vardag says.
“The law doesn’t discriminate between breadwinner and home maker - it doesn’t in most circumstances matter who earned the money if they were married and therefore a team. One way or another, this divorce should result in a huge payout for Guy Ritchie if properly handled.”
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Modonna's Brother, Christopher Ciccone, tells all in New Book
Madonna's marriage to director Guy Ritchie is hanging by the thin thread of their religion, reveals her brother Christopher Ciccone in his new autobiography. Christopher's tome 'Life With My Sister Madonna', he reveals that one of the only things that's keeping the couple together is Kabbalah, a cross between Judaism, Catholicism and Buddhism, reports the Daily Star.
"The Press may report that Guy isn't as involved in Kabbalah as Madonna, but that isn't true," Christopher says in the book. "Guy's world and his conversations nowadays revolve around Kabbalah. According to our sister Melanie, who still sees Madonna and Guy, they often come over for dinner but will only talk about Kabbalah. "If the conversation strays to any other topic they lose interest."
In the explosive new book, Christopher also reveals about how Madge treated him when she invited him to attend the lavish five-day ceremony at Castle Skibo, Scotland, in 2000. When he told her he could not afford to attend, Christopher reveals that Madonna sent him a first class air ticket and paid his accommodation.
However, it was only after he had settled in that he discovered that Madonna had deducted the cost from cash she owed him for work he did on one of her houses. As a result, he writes, he was only left with a few dollars. What's worse is that the openly gay Christopher then has to listen to Guys pals making jokes about homosexuals.
"I glance at my sister, hoping to see a look of outrage on her face, but there is none," he writes. "I am sad that Madonna, whose early success was built on her legions of gay fans, can listen to these comments without protest." The book goes on sale on July 15.
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Madonna's brother Christopher Ciccone reveals in his new autobiography that the singer literally 'blackmailed' him into joining Kabbalah. In Life With My Sister Madonna, which goes on sale July 15, Christopher reveals how Madge compelled him to join her religion, reports Contactmusic.
"I did (follow Kabbalah) for quite some time, although I was blackmailed into it. I finished a house for Madonna, and she owed me a final payment and she said, ''I''ll only pay you your final payment if you come to a Kabbalah class.'' I was like, ''If this is what it takes to get paid, fine, I''ll go,''" he writes in the tome.
"And as it turns out, it was a perfect time for me to take another look at myself at the time. It was about 2001. "And while I resented her for forcing me into it, I actually got some good stuff from it." Christopher also reveals that it is Kabbalah that is keeping Madonna and Guy Ritchie together.
"The Press may report that Guy isn't as involved in Kabbalah as Madonna, but that isn't true," Christopher says in the book. "Guy's world and his conversations nowadays revolve around Kabbalah. According to our sister Melanie, who still sees Madonna and Guy, they often come over for dinner but will only talk about Kabbalah. "If the conversation strays to any other topic they lose interest."
In the explosive new book, Christopher also reveals about how Madge treated him when she invited him to attend the lavish five-day ceremony at Castle Skibo, Scotland, in 2000. When he told her he could not afford to attend, Christopher reveals that Madonna sent him a first class air ticket and paid his accommodation.
However, it was only after he had settled in that he discovered that Madonna had deducted the cost from cash she owed him for work he did on one of her houses. As a result, he writes, he was only left with a few dollars. What's worse is that the openly gay Christopher then has to listen to Guys pals making jokes about homosexuals.
"I glance at my sister, hoping to see a look of outrage on her face, but there is none," he writes. "I am sad that Madonna, whose early success was built on her legions of gay fans, can listen to these comments without protest." The book goes on sale on July 15.
------------------------------------
Madonna's brother Christopher Ciccone reveals in his new autobiography that the singer literally 'blackmailed' him into joining Kabbalah. In Life With My Sister Madonna, which goes on sale July 15, Christopher reveals how Madge compelled him to join her religion, reports Contactmusic.
"I did (follow Kabbalah) for quite some time, although I was blackmailed into it. I finished a house for Madonna, and she owed me a final payment and she said, ''I''ll only pay you your final payment if you come to a Kabbalah class.'' I was like, ''If this is what it takes to get paid, fine, I''ll go,''" he writes in the tome.
"And as it turns out, it was a perfect time for me to take another look at myself at the time. It was about 2001. "And while I resented her for forcing me into it, I actually got some good stuff from it." Christopher also reveals that it is Kabbalah that is keeping Madonna and Guy Ritchie together.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Alex Rodriguez link in Madonna Guy Ritchie Divorce
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and his wife have split less than three months after the birth of the couple's second daughter, according to a report in the New York Daily News.
The story on the newspaper's Web site comes amid reports linking Rodriguez to Madonna. Rodriguez refused to address the topic on three occasions Tuesday, once saying "no" when asked if he had any comment.
Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner also criticized the team's lack of hitting before an 18-7 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night, suggesting "a little less outside distractions and a little more concentrating" might help the team at the plate.
The Daily News reported Wednesday night, citing an anonymous source, that Rodriguez and wife, Cynthia, have separated after having "problems" for about three months.
Cynthia Rodriguez's mother, Evangeline Scurtis, also denied a gossip Web site report that her daughter had gone on a romantic getaway with rocker Lenny Kravitz to Paris.
"She is not! I know that," Scurtis told The Daily News.
Scurtis repeatedly declined comment when asked about her daughter's relationship with Rodriguez.
The couple was married in November 2002 and has two children, Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander, who was born April 21.
Rodriguez went 2-for-3 Wednesday night with his 17th homer of the season and also scored four times. It also was Rodriguez's 535th homer, moving him past Jimmie Foxx for 14th on the career list.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Civil Separation or Divorce - What is in the cards for Guy Ritchie and Madonna
As a show of togetherness, Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s glittering red carpet parade at the Cannes Film Festival last week did little to scotch persistent rumours that their seven-year marriage is on the rocks.
The superstar singer, resplendent in a sparkling black and white fitted sequined dress, was about to show her rather earnest documentary about the plight of Malawian orphans.
But as she smiled and waved beguilingly at the assembled paparazzi, her husband stood woodenly by her side and could muster little more than a grimace.
Indeed, Guy gave every appearance of being a man who had been forced into his designer tuxedo and paraded at yet another high-octane celebrity party for the benefit of marital solidarity – when he would have preferred to be down the pub with his mates instead.
But this was Madonna’s big event and Guy’s appearance, however reluctant, was part of a deal they have struck to support each other’s careers, even though their turbulent union is now based more on pragmatism than passion.
As one observer put it: "They did not look like two people who were very happy in each other’s company. She looked frail and pale, like someone under tremendous strain, and he seemed utterly miserable."
The news will come as no surprise to those who have followed the turbulent marriage of these two volatile individuals who fell in love but who came from different worlds – she the celebrity former wild child turned diva and he the English gentleman and director of gangster films with a passion for country pursuits.
Now it seems Madonna, 49, one of the richest women in the music industry, has had enough of the constant arguing "about everything" with Guy, who is ten years her junior.
She has complained he often treats her with cold indifference in public, drinks ‘way too much for his own good’ and spends little time with her and their three children – adopted son David Banda, who is two, 11-year-old Lourdes, Madonna’s daughter by dancer Carlos Leon, and their own son Rocco, seven.
Friends say the couple have been living virtually separate lives since the start of the year and have even divided their homes into his and hers quarters so they can avoid each other.
There are indications that Madonna is now planning to live in New York.
She has owned a 6,000sq ft duplex apartment overlooking Central Park – complete with gymnasium and beauty salon – for 20 years and is enlarging it to accommodate her children and staff.
She has recently bought an adjoining apartment in her maiden name.
One source said: "Madonna is miserable and has lost her desire to live full-time in the UK."
She is planning a solo trip to New York next month ahead of her gruelling world tour and, apart from her 50th birthday celebrations, there appear to be no concrete plans to spend time with her husband.
"Madonna is preparing for the busiest few months of her year," said the source.
And now, despite both publicly insisting that their bond is as strong as it was on the day they married at Skibo Castle in Scotland at the end of 2000, The Mail on Sunday has learned that after years of rowing and long periods apart, the couple are heading for a trial separation . . . albeit a very civilised one.
"She leaves for NY at the start of June and won’t be back until October. She has talked about the children going with her but she hasn’t mentioned Guy once."
Although Madonna insists she is planning to spend only some of her time in America, the move is being seen as a signal about where she is going to base herself for the next ten years.
But for the time being at least, Madonna and Guy have agreed to make the split appear as innocuous as possible.
A public announcement of a break-up on the eve of such an important tour would be disastrous for Madonna, especially as she is said to feel vulnerable about turning 50.
Guy, whose new movie RocknRolla is due to be premiered in October, is suffering from similar anxieties.
After a string of flops he is said to be deeply concerned that any negative publicity about their private life could spoil his chances of the movie becoming the hit he and his battered ego so desperately need.
New base: Madonna is extending her luxury flat in this Manhattan block
He has been devoted to the project for the past 18 months, keenly aware that it’s been ten years since his biggest hit, the gangster movie Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.
And, as much as she needed him last week at Cannes, it will be imperative for him to have his powerful and glamorous A-list wife at his side at his premiere to give the occasion the kind of celebrity sparkle that can generate worldwide publicity.
Of course, the couple have been dogged by rumours of disharmony for several years. Madonna herself admitted she can be difficult to live with and that the union has been punctuated by fall-outs.
Cracks first appeared in their relationship four years ago amid claims they were rowing over Lourdes’ and Rocco’s schooling – Guy was unhappy about the length of time the children spent on tour with their mother.
Since then, they have clashed over her devotion to the Kabbalah Jewish sect, her controversial decision in 2006 to adopt baby David from Malawi and, more recently, when Madonna was forced by Guy to scrap plans to adopt a baby girl from India.
"They had the mother of all rows," said another source. "The circus that surrounded the first adoption put a lot of strain on their marriage and so he went ballistic when she suggested a second."
There have also been rumours, all denied, of other relationships on both sides. Some months before she adopted David, Madonna was said to have grown close to her 30-year-old record producer Stuart Price.
At the same time, she admitted in an MTV documentary she "got married for all the wrong reasons".
"My husband did not turn out to be everything I imagined him to be...I wanted to end everything," she said.
Although Madonna and Guy resolved their problems after visiting renowned Harley Street therapist Tricia Barnes and even received counselling from close friend Sir Elton John, they were, it is claimed, soon fighting again.
But where once the rows would be followed by passionate reconciliations, Madonna recently revealed that they now go to bed with their BlackBerrys and text each other, seemingly supporting claims that they no longer share a bedroom.
In fact, it is said that the couple, who live in London with their three children, have peculiar domestic arrangements.
"They never see each other and sleep in separate rooms,’"said a friend last week.
"Madonna’s day revolves around herself and her children and her work, and not Guy.
"Yet she is still trying to control his life and hounds him on the phone constantly, wanting to know where he is every day.
"It’s not unheard of for her to call him six times an hour if she doesn’t know where he is. But they just don’t spend much time together unless they are with the children.
"Madonna does three hours of exercise a day when she’s in London, with just Sunday off, then there is a party to plan for her 50th and her movie has consumed almost all her time."
Guy, on the other hand, prefers to spend most weekends without his wife at their Wiltshire country estate.
"Its very much his retreat," the friend explained. "There was a rumour they were planning to sell it. But that’s not true, Guy loves it, and he is down there most weekends.
"Madonna stays in London with the kids, if Guy doesn’t take them, or sees friends like Gwyneth Paltrow who is up in North London. It is amazing the amount of time they don’t spend together."
Guy was noticeably absent when Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year.
And the couple were said to have had a "major fall-out" after Guy failed to show up at the premiere for his wife’s film at the Tribeca festival in New York last month.
Their separations have prompted so much comment that their Los Angeles-based publicist was forced to issue a defensive statement in March saying:
"Just because Madonna and Guy haven’t been expressing themselves in public lately doesn’t mean their seven-year marriage is on the rocks. I am delighted to confirm that Mr and Mrs Guy Ritchie remain happily married."
But it was evident to all who saw them at Cannes that, even though they shared the same hotel suite, they spent most of their time apart.
Indeed, when a television interviewer asked about her husband, Madonna complained: "I think he’s in a bar somewhere. While I’m working, he’s playing."
Such is the state of their delicate truce that they failed to attend a lunch planned in Madonna’s honour on fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg’s yacht, because Madonna’s former husband Sean Penn was also on the guest list and she did not feel Guy could cope with meeting him.
One of the rare occasions that they were seen out together was last Wednesday night when, instead of going to the party organised by Soho House – a private club for film industry movers and shakers – they dined at a local restaurant in Cannes.
"They were very low-key and sat at the back of the restaurant," said a fellow diner.
A new source of friction is said to have been Guy’s desire to promote his forthcoming movie while they were at Cannes. Madonna wanted publicity only for I Am Because We Are, her documentary about Malawi.
This was to have been directed by Guy until his wife replaced him with Nathan Rissman, who had previously worked as their gardener and "manny" for their children.
"Guy wanted to talk about his film on the red carpet but Madonna told him this was about her movie," said one observer.
"She made it clear to Guy that this event was about her and his nose was put out of joint."
Instead of being seen out and about as one half of an A-list couple, Madonna seemed happier in the company of her female friends.
The Madonna girl gang includes supermodel Naomi Campbell, Hollywood actress Sharon Stone, Madonna’s personal trainer Tracy Anderson, her assistant Joanna and her make-up artist Jeanna.
"She has been spending more time with girlfriends and members of her staff because she’s lonely," said another source.
"She seems very vulnerable at the moment. If you spend time with them you see there is little affection between her and Guy. Madonna was really quite emotional during the screening of her film but he didn’t once take her hand while the movie was playing."
Ironically, it was the one time that Madonna most needed the love and sympathy of a supportive husband. Making the Malawi film has been exhausting and she was anxious about its reception in Cannes.
But after nearly a decade together, Madonna is still expected to be the strong one in the relationship.
"Guy’s problem is that he is in her shadow," said one source who knows them both well. "She is the star of the show and he feels a little emasculated by the marriage.
"They’ve just drifted apart. It’s all very sad. But they are trying not to make a drama out of it, for the sake of their children and their careers."
The superstar singer, resplendent in a sparkling black and white fitted sequined dress, was about to show her rather earnest documentary about the plight of Malawian orphans.
But as she smiled and waved beguilingly at the assembled paparazzi, her husband stood woodenly by her side and could muster little more than a grimace.
Indeed, Guy gave every appearance of being a man who had been forced into his designer tuxedo and paraded at yet another high-octane celebrity party for the benefit of marital solidarity – when he would have preferred to be down the pub with his mates instead.
But this was Madonna’s big event and Guy’s appearance, however reluctant, was part of a deal they have struck to support each other’s careers, even though their turbulent union is now based more on pragmatism than passion.
As one observer put it: "They did not look like two people who were very happy in each other’s company. She looked frail and pale, like someone under tremendous strain, and he seemed utterly miserable."
The news will come as no surprise to those who have followed the turbulent marriage of these two volatile individuals who fell in love but who came from different worlds – she the celebrity former wild child turned diva and he the English gentleman and director of gangster films with a passion for country pursuits.
Now it seems Madonna, 49, one of the richest women in the music industry, has had enough of the constant arguing "about everything" with Guy, who is ten years her junior.
She has complained he often treats her with cold indifference in public, drinks ‘way too much for his own good’ and spends little time with her and their three children – adopted son David Banda, who is two, 11-year-old Lourdes, Madonna’s daughter by dancer Carlos Leon, and their own son Rocco, seven.
Friends say the couple have been living virtually separate lives since the start of the year and have even divided their homes into his and hers quarters so they can avoid each other.
There are indications that Madonna is now planning to live in New York.
She has owned a 6,000sq ft duplex apartment overlooking Central Park – complete with gymnasium and beauty salon – for 20 years and is enlarging it to accommodate her children and staff.
She has recently bought an adjoining apartment in her maiden name.
One source said: "Madonna is miserable and has lost her desire to live full-time in the UK."
She is planning a solo trip to New York next month ahead of her gruelling world tour and, apart from her 50th birthday celebrations, there appear to be no concrete plans to spend time with her husband.
"Madonna is preparing for the busiest few months of her year," said the source.
And now, despite both publicly insisting that their bond is as strong as it was on the day they married at Skibo Castle in Scotland at the end of 2000, The Mail on Sunday has learned that after years of rowing and long periods apart, the couple are heading for a trial separation . . . albeit a very civilised one.
"She leaves for NY at the start of June and won’t be back until October. She has talked about the children going with her but she hasn’t mentioned Guy once."
Although Madonna insists she is planning to spend only some of her time in America, the move is being seen as a signal about where she is going to base herself for the next ten years.
But for the time being at least, Madonna and Guy have agreed to make the split appear as innocuous as possible.
A public announcement of a break-up on the eve of such an important tour would be disastrous for Madonna, especially as she is said to feel vulnerable about turning 50.
Guy, whose new movie RocknRolla is due to be premiered in October, is suffering from similar anxieties.
After a string of flops he is said to be deeply concerned that any negative publicity about their private life could spoil his chances of the movie becoming the hit he and his battered ego so desperately need.
New base: Madonna is extending her luxury flat in this Manhattan block
He has been devoted to the project for the past 18 months, keenly aware that it’s been ten years since his biggest hit, the gangster movie Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.
And, as much as she needed him last week at Cannes, it will be imperative for him to have his powerful and glamorous A-list wife at his side at his premiere to give the occasion the kind of celebrity sparkle that can generate worldwide publicity.
Of course, the couple have been dogged by rumours of disharmony for several years. Madonna herself admitted she can be difficult to live with and that the union has been punctuated by fall-outs.
Cracks first appeared in their relationship four years ago amid claims they were rowing over Lourdes’ and Rocco’s schooling – Guy was unhappy about the length of time the children spent on tour with their mother.
Since then, they have clashed over her devotion to the Kabbalah Jewish sect, her controversial decision in 2006 to adopt baby David from Malawi and, more recently, when Madonna was forced by Guy to scrap plans to adopt a baby girl from India.
"They had the mother of all rows," said another source. "The circus that surrounded the first adoption put a lot of strain on their marriage and so he went ballistic when she suggested a second."
There have also been rumours, all denied, of other relationships on both sides. Some months before she adopted David, Madonna was said to have grown close to her 30-year-old record producer Stuart Price.
At the same time, she admitted in an MTV documentary she "got married for all the wrong reasons".
"My husband did not turn out to be everything I imagined him to be...I wanted to end everything," she said.
Although Madonna and Guy resolved their problems after visiting renowned Harley Street therapist Tricia Barnes and even received counselling from close friend Sir Elton John, they were, it is claimed, soon fighting again.
But where once the rows would be followed by passionate reconciliations, Madonna recently revealed that they now go to bed with their BlackBerrys and text each other, seemingly supporting claims that they no longer share a bedroom.
In fact, it is said that the couple, who live in London with their three children, have peculiar domestic arrangements.
"They never see each other and sleep in separate rooms,’"said a friend last week.
"Madonna’s day revolves around herself and her children and her work, and not Guy.
"Yet she is still trying to control his life and hounds him on the phone constantly, wanting to know where he is every day.
"It’s not unheard of for her to call him six times an hour if she doesn’t know where he is. But they just don’t spend much time together unless they are with the children.
"Madonna does three hours of exercise a day when she’s in London, with just Sunday off, then there is a party to plan for her 50th and her movie has consumed almost all her time."
Guy, on the other hand, prefers to spend most weekends without his wife at their Wiltshire country estate.
"Its very much his retreat," the friend explained. "There was a rumour they were planning to sell it. But that’s not true, Guy loves it, and he is down there most weekends.
"Madonna stays in London with the kids, if Guy doesn’t take them, or sees friends like Gwyneth Paltrow who is up in North London. It is amazing the amount of time they don’t spend together."
Guy was noticeably absent when Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year.
And the couple were said to have had a "major fall-out" after Guy failed to show up at the premiere for his wife’s film at the Tribeca festival in New York last month.
Their separations have prompted so much comment that their Los Angeles-based publicist was forced to issue a defensive statement in March saying:
"Just because Madonna and Guy haven’t been expressing themselves in public lately doesn’t mean their seven-year marriage is on the rocks. I am delighted to confirm that Mr and Mrs Guy Ritchie remain happily married."
But it was evident to all who saw them at Cannes that, even though they shared the same hotel suite, they spent most of their time apart.
Indeed, when a television interviewer asked about her husband, Madonna complained: "I think he’s in a bar somewhere. While I’m working, he’s playing."
Such is the state of their delicate truce that they failed to attend a lunch planned in Madonna’s honour on fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg’s yacht, because Madonna’s former husband Sean Penn was also on the guest list and she did not feel Guy could cope with meeting him.
One of the rare occasions that they were seen out together was last Wednesday night when, instead of going to the party organised by Soho House – a private club for film industry movers and shakers – they dined at a local restaurant in Cannes.
"They were very low-key and sat at the back of the restaurant," said a fellow diner.
A new source of friction is said to have been Guy’s desire to promote his forthcoming movie while they were at Cannes. Madonna wanted publicity only for I Am Because We Are, her documentary about Malawi.
This was to have been directed by Guy until his wife replaced him with Nathan Rissman, who had previously worked as their gardener and "manny" for their children.
"Guy wanted to talk about his film on the red carpet but Madonna told him this was about her movie," said one observer.
"She made it clear to Guy that this event was about her and his nose was put out of joint."
Instead of being seen out and about as one half of an A-list couple, Madonna seemed happier in the company of her female friends.
The Madonna girl gang includes supermodel Naomi Campbell, Hollywood actress Sharon Stone, Madonna’s personal trainer Tracy Anderson, her assistant Joanna and her make-up artist Jeanna.
"She has been spending more time with girlfriends and members of her staff because she’s lonely," said another source.
"She seems very vulnerable at the moment. If you spend time with them you see there is little affection between her and Guy. Madonna was really quite emotional during the screening of her film but he didn’t once take her hand while the movie was playing."
Ironically, it was the one time that Madonna most needed the love and sympathy of a supportive husband. Making the Malawi film has been exhausting and she was anxious about its reception in Cannes.
But after nearly a decade together, Madonna is still expected to be the strong one in the relationship.
"Guy’s problem is that he is in her shadow," said one source who knows them both well. "She is the star of the show and he feels a little emasculated by the marriage.
"They’ve just drifted apart. It’s all very sad. But they are trying not to make a drama out of it, for the sake of their children and their careers."
Madonna Met with Paul McCartney's Divorce Lawyer
This is probably the 67th time the press have speculated that Guy Ritchie and his sort of famous wife, Madonna, are divorcing, but it could be true this time. The Times of London is reporting that Madonna recently met up with Paul McCartney’s old divorce lawyer, Fiona Shackleton. Shackleton successfully represented Sir Paul in his bitter divorce with Heather Mills, and also represented Prince Charles in his divorce from the late Princess Diana. Basically, the woman is a tough and sought-after lawyer, and she may be in Madge’s side in her own divorce. Guy meanwhile, the Times reports, has also sought services with another law firm. It’s also being speculated that Madonna and Guy did not draw up a pre-nuptial agreement (Madonna is said to be worth $600 million). A rep for Madonna didn’t have any comments regarding the story.
Madonna Publicist tries to shake Divorce Rumour
Despite repeated denials from her publicist, Madonna can't shake rumors that she is splitting from husband Guy Ritchie. Earlier this week, U.K. paper the Mirror reported that the couple plans to wait until the end of her world tour in November to publicly announced their divorce. "They live like brother and sister rather than husband and wife and thought it best to call it a day," a source told the publication.
"I am delighted to confirm that Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie remain happily married," Madonna's rep announced when rumors of turmoil surfaced earlier this year. "Though they were in different countries recently -- Madonna in the U.S. doing promotion for her upcoming album, Hard Candy, and Guy finishing up post-production on his new film, RocknRolla, as well as completing a Nike commercial and working on several scripts in England -- the family are joyfully back together at home in London. All is well and wonderful in the Ritchie household."
Additionally, it's been reported that Madonna has hired Fiona Shackelton, Heather Mills'divorce attorney, to represent her in the impending proceedings. "Madonna always seeks out the best in whatever field she is interested in at any given time," a source close to the singer said. "Fiona Shackelton is the best."
Madonna and Ritchie have been married for seven years and are parents to biological son Rocco, recently adopted son David Banda, and Madonna's daughter from a previous relationship, Lourdes.
"I am delighted to confirm that Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie remain happily married," Madonna's rep announced when rumors of turmoil surfaced earlier this year. "Though they were in different countries recently -- Madonna in the U.S. doing promotion for her upcoming album, Hard Candy, and Guy finishing up post-production on his new film, RocknRolla, as well as completing a Nike commercial and working on several scripts in England -- the family are joyfully back together at home in London. All is well and wonderful in the Ritchie household."
Additionally, it's been reported that Madonna has hired Fiona Shackelton, Heather Mills'divorce attorney, to represent her in the impending proceedings. "Madonna always seeks out the best in whatever field she is interested in at any given time," a source close to the singer said. "Fiona Shackelton is the best."
Madonna and Ritchie have been married for seven years and are parents to biological son Rocco, recently adopted son David Banda, and Madonna's daughter from a previous relationship, Lourdes.
More on the Madonna Guy Ritchie Divorce
We reported that Madonna was rumored to be talking to a divorce lawyer back on June 10th, but now it seems that it is national news. The original rumor stated that she was talking to, Nicholas Mostyn, but Fox News says she is "seeking advice from divorce attorney Fiona Shackleton, who represented Paul McCartney in his divorce from model Heather Mills."
If you remember Heather Mills is the bionic bitch who made McCartney's life hell, winning $50 million off the singer, in one of the longest and most expensive divorce cases in history.
Madonna's soon to be ex, Guy Ritchie is also sitting pretty, because there is no prenuptial agreement, he could get an even 50-50 split of their assets.
If Madonna knew she was going to divorce him, she should have waited to release her last album Hard Candy, then at least she could have kept that money. I wonder if he will also get the money from her upcoming world tour that begins on August 23.
Like I said before their are two women in the world I would never screw with, Oprah and Madonna, so Ritchie better play nice. Prenup or not she will eat him alive!
If you remember Heather Mills is the bionic bitch who made McCartney's life hell, winning $50 million off the singer, in one of the longest and most expensive divorce cases in history.
Madonna's soon to be ex, Guy Ritchie is also sitting pretty, because there is no prenuptial agreement, he could get an even 50-50 split of their assets.
If Madonna knew she was going to divorce him, she should have waited to release her last album Hard Candy, then at least she could have kept that money. I wonder if he will also get the money from her upcoming world tour that begins on August 23.
Like I said before their are two women in the world I would never screw with, Oprah and Madonna, so Ritchie better play nice. Prenup or not she will eat him alive!
Breaking News - Madonna & Guy Ritchie have been in the middle of a divorce for the last few months
Guy Ritchie and Madonna are in divorce proceedings, both have hired experienced attorneys and Madonna is moving back to New York where she recently bought an adjoining apartment. The Guy Ritchie-Madonna divorce has been in motion for over a month - Madonna hired celeb attorney Fiona Shackleworth who repped Paul McCartney in his divorce and Guy Ritchie going with old money law firm Forsters.
Madonna has already remodeled her 6,000 sq ft duplex apartment overlooking Central Park – one that she has owned for 20 years - and enlarged it to accommodate her children and staff by including an adjoining apartment she bought in her maiden name.
One source said: “Madonna is miserable and has lost her desire to live full-time in the UK.”
The source added: “They both fought so hard to preserve their marriage. But they both seem ready to throw in the towel now. It’s a shame and there’s a real sense of sadness among Guy and Madonna’s friends.”
Madonna and Ritchie met at a dinner party thrown by Sting and wed in 2000 after she had given birth to their son Rocco, but their 12-year age difference plus the singer’s wide open sexual attitudes and controlling personality have caused an irrevocable split.
And that’s the latest news on the Madonna divorce.
Madonna has already remodeled her 6,000 sq ft duplex apartment overlooking Central Park – one that she has owned for 20 years - and enlarged it to accommodate her children and staff by including an adjoining apartment she bought in her maiden name.
One source said: “Madonna is miserable and has lost her desire to live full-time in the UK.”
The source added: “They both fought so hard to preserve their marriage. But they both seem ready to throw in the towel now. It’s a shame and there’s a real sense of sadness among Guy and Madonna’s friends.”
Madonna and Ritchie met at a dinner party thrown by Sting and wed in 2000 after she had given birth to their son Rocco, but their 12-year age difference plus the singer’s wide open sexual attitudes and controlling personality have caused an irrevocable split.
And that’s the latest news on the Madonna divorce.
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