Queen of Pop Madonna and her film maker husband Guy Ritchie are to divorce. Madonna’s long-term publicist Liz Rosenberg confirmed the split in a short statement e-mailed to press. “Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after seven and a half years of marriage,” the statement reads. "They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time." The announcement follows months of speculation about the state of the couple’s marriage. In July, Rosenberg denied the pair were about to divorce and said their marriage did not "need saving" after rumours spread that Madonna was having a relationship with married baseball star Alex Rodriguez. In August Guy insisted everything was “fine” between the pair. Their last public appearance together was at last month's RocknRolla film premiere in London. The couple’s representatives also confirmed no settlement had yet been reached.

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