Madonna and Guy Ritchie Divorcing

Madonna and Guy Ritchie are finally, officially, pulling the plug on their troubled eight-year marriage.

Madonna’s rep released a statement this morning saying the singer and her filmmaker husband are divorcing. The statement said the couple have not agreed to a settlement.

Because the celebrity couple live primarily in London, the divorce is expected to move through courts there – although it’s considered likely the pair will come to a multimillion-dollar settlement, according to the source.

Another source said the split comes after a last-ditch attempt by the pair to save their flailing union with an intensive kabbalah course in Manhattan.

British “Snatch” director Ritchie flew into New York a few weeks ago specifically to undergo instruction with his wife to try to patch things up, but to no avail, the source said.

The news also broke in London via The Sun, with a source telling the newspaper that Madonna and Ritchie “can’t bear to live with the pretense any longer.

“It’s very sad. They were a great couple and brilliant parents. They just couldn’t live together.

“Despite huge attempts to patch things up, they both knew deep down that divorce was in the cards. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ They tried hard over the past few months, but their fighting was getting out of control.

“The final straw came before Madonna started her US tour.”

The British paper said the 50-year-old singer wanted to wait to announce the pair’s split until after her global “Sticky and Sweet” tour.

But their fighting got so bad that Ritchie, 40, just wanted out, and Madonna finally agreed, the tabloid said.

The pair has three children between them: Lourdes, 12, Madonna’s daughter from her relationship with actor and personal trainer Carlos Leon; and Ritchie and Madonna’s sons, Rocco, 8, and David, 2.

The pair has bitterly fought over everything from their kids to where they should live: the United States or England, sources said.

Madonna wanted to be back in the States more, as did Lourdes so she could see her father, The Post’s sources said. Madonna also reportedly wants to adopt another child, which Ritchie is against.

A representative for the pair did not return a phone call or e-mail from The Post last night.

When reached by The Sun, a spokeswoman for Madonna declined comment.

The reported split comes after months of speculation over Madonna’s cozy relationship with Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez, whose estranged wife, Cynthia, said the singer had “brainwashed” her hubby.

C-Rod told a pal she believes that her kabbalah-loving husband and Madonna had an “affair of the heart.”

Meanwhile, Madonna and Ritchie raised eyebrows just two days ago when Ritchie failed to appear at the New York premiere of a comedy Madonna directed, “Filth and Wisdom.”

source: SPLITSVILLE AT LAST FOR MADONNA [new york post]

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Madonna and Guy Ritchie Divorcing

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