(showbizspy.com) - Madonna and Guy Ritchie have today confirmed they are to divorce after almost 8-years of marriage.
British papers reported Wednesday morning that a split announcement was imminent.
In a statement co-signed by Ritchie's representative, Madonna rep Liz Rosenberg says, "Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after seven-and-a-half years of marriage.
"They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time."
The statement also said that the couple had not agreed to a settlement.
"The judgment of the court would be to try and assess what they came in with and divide what they built up fairly equally," said David Allison, a lawyer with Family Law in Partnership, a London firm, said.
Citing unnamed sources, Britain's The Sun reported that 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 paper.
"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."
Madonna is in the midst of her Sticky and Sweet tour and is set to play Boston tonight. Ritchie is believed to be on the set of his latest film, Sherlock Holmes.