Madonna and Guy: who owns what

Madonna and Guy Ritchie are planning to divorce, it was reported late last night.

The Sun newspaper claimed that the couple were preparing to announce the split because “they can’t bear to live with the pretence any longer”.

A spokeswoman for Madonna declined to comment but the paper claimed that a statement would be made public imminently. A “highly-placed” but unnamed source quoted by the paper said that the pair “can now barely bring themselves to say two words to each other”.

The source added: “Despite huge attempts to patch things up they both knew deep down that divorce was on the cards. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.” It was also claimed that the couple had not spoken face to face for three weeks.

Rumours of marital difficulties have dogged the singer and her film director husband for about a year. In July the wife of baseball’s highest paid star, Alex Rodriguez, filed for divorce, blaming Madonna for the collapse of the marriage. Madonna, 50, denied any ro- mantic involvement with Rodriguez.

Madonna and Ritchie have previously strongly denied reports that they were to split and said that there were “no plans” to divorce. Last month they presented a united front at the premiere in London of Mr Ritchie’s film RocknRolla and Mr Ritchie’s 40th birthday party. The couple have children, Rocco, 8, and David Banda, who was adopted as a baby from Malawi, 2. Madonna has a daughter, Lourdes, 12, from her relationship with the dancer Carlos Leon. They married in 2000.

Times recommends

• McDonald’s: the world’s local restaurant
• Help me to be a mum: a foyer to fulfilment
• A life online: God likes a laugh