Madonna & Guy Ritchie divorcing

BREAKING NEWS: It's Official: Madonna and Guy Ritchie Divorcing

Madonna's spokeswoman says the singer and Guy Ritchie are divorcing after 7 1/2 years together.

In a statement co-signed by Ritchie's representative and e-mailed to The Associated Press, Liz Rosenberg says the couple had not agreed to a settlement yet.

"Guy Ritchie is responsible for wanting this divorce now," a source tellls Usmagazine.com. "He didn't want to wait to break the news, it had gone on along enough. This marriage was over a long time ago."

Another insider tells Us: "All her friends and family have known all along. They had to keep it under wraps and really tried to work things out. They tried for years, actually.

"They thought their belief in Kabbalah could help," the source adds, "but it's unfortunately hard for Madonna to hold on to anybody in her life. Thank God she has the kids."

The news comes after British papers reported Wednesday morning that a split announcement was imminent.

Citing unnamed sources, The Sun reports the couple want a divorce finalized by Christmas.

Madonna, 50, and Ritchie, 40, "can't bear to live with the pretense any longer," a source told The Sun.

"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 U.S. tour."

Though Madonna wanted to wait to announce their split until after her global "Sticky and Sweet" tour, their fighting got so bad that Ritchie just wanted out, according to the Sun.

Madonna finally agreed.

The The New York Post reports that they made a last-ditch attempt to save their marriage with an intensive Kabbalah course in Manhattan.

"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 Post reports, citing a source.

The couple live primarily in London, so their divorce is expected to move through courts there.

The Daily Mail - which also cites unnamed sources - is already estimating that Ritchie will pocket about $100 million in a settlement.

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.

Madonna and Ritchie have clashed over everything from their kids to where they should live: the United States or England, sources said. Madonna also reportedly wants to adopt another child, which Ritchie is against.

Ritchies's mother, Lady Amber Leighton, told reporters at her west London home she would not comment on the matter: "We are not talking to press and we won't be all day."

Madonna has been linked to the recent divorce of New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriquez and his wife, Cynthia Rodriquez, as Us Weekly first reported.

Madonna vehemently denied rumors of a romance

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EXCLUSIVE: Source: Madonna and Alex Rodriguez Are "Definitely Romantic"

As Madonna announces her divorce from husband Guy Ritchie, a source close to the singer tells Usmagazine.com she and the New York Yankees slugger "are definitely romantic."

"Guy is not involved in this equation," the insider tells Usmagazine.com. "With or without A-Rod, Madonna and Guy haven't been 'together' for over a year - they have been privately separated. Madonna, however, wanted to finish her world tour before divorcing."

An A-Rod source tells Us, "A-Rod and Madonna are more involved than ever.

"Alex has really missed spending time with Madonna. However, he understands the position Madonna's in."

Look back at Madonna's loves through the years.

The source tells Us six days ago that Madonna -- who dined with Rodriguez Oct. 2 at Dos Caminos in NYC -- "has agreed to be discreet about her relationship with A-Rod until her tour ends and a divorce is announced."

Madonna has been linked to Rodriguez since early July when Us Weekly broke the news that he had been making late-night visits to her Central Park West apartment in New York City.

He would sneak out "as late as midnight," an insider told Us.

Around the time, Rodriguez's wife, Cynthia, filed for divorce because of Rodriguez's alleged extramarital affairs.

Madonna vehemently denied a fling, but Cynthia's attorney said she had an "affair of the heart" with the ball player.

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