Press Association
Tuesday 6th January 2009
Pop queen Madonna was granted a divorce on the grounds of her husband Guy Ritchie's "unreasonable behaviour".
Papers released by the court did not explain what had happened but Madonna said in a sworn statement that the behaviour by the film director was continuing.
What began as a fairytale wedding at the romantic Skibo Castle in the Highlands of Scotland came to an end in the "quickie divorce" at the clinical Principal Registry of the Family Division in High Holburn, London.
Their case - Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S - was listed before District Judge Reid along with 16 others "for pronouncement of decree or order under the special procedure rule".
Their names were read out with the others in front of the judge who granted the decree nisi. These will be made absolute within six weeks.
At their wedding, guests included Gwyneth Paltrow, Donatella Versace and Stella McCartney.
No one attended the divorce hearing.
In the sworn statement in support of Madonna's petition for divorce, she replied "no" to the question on whether they had lived together, since the date of the petition, for six months at the same address.
Madonna signed the affidavit in Sunset Boulevard, Beverley Hills.
In another document released by the court, Senior District Judge Philip Waller, who gave the go ahead for the divorce, said he was satisfied that the court did not need to exercise its powers under the Children Act nor give any directions under the Matrimonial Causes Act. This would indicate that the couple reached a mutual settlement over their assets and the children before the divorce.
