German supermodel Heidi Klum has filed for divorce from her husband, pop singer Seal.
The couple married nearly seven years ago, but separated three months ago. Although it had been rumored that the couple would reconcile after a few weeks of living apart, Klum’s action ends that possibility. She cited irreconcilable differences as the cause of their divorce.
Klum, 38, has asked in her divorce petition for joint legal custody and primary physical custody of their four children. The couple has two daughters and two sons, all under the age of 8. The model, who hosts the television show “Project Runway,” also has asked to change her legal last name from Samuel to Klum. She legally had taken Seal’s last name after the couple married in Mexico in 2005.
Klum and Seal, 49, had issued a joint statement after their separation earlier this year. They said that while they still loved each other, they had grown apart. Klum and Seal had become known for renewing their marriage vows each year and for throwing elaborate Halloween parties.
Soon after their separation, Seal spoke frequently about their breakup, appearing on several television talk shows to discuss the release of his new CD.
Seal said after they went their separate ways that they had lived their lives in an open fashion and that they had given the public a picture of a perfect marriage and an ideal family. Because their relationship had soured, he said he would not turn silent.
Klum, however, said in a recent magazine interview that while she could not dictate what Seal said, hearing the words was difficult. She said the does not want to share the details of either the good times or the bad times of their relationship. This is how many couples feel, and it’s important for people who may rush to judgment to remember that celebrities also get divorced and the pain is just as real.
Source: People, “Heidi Klum Files for Divorce from Seal,” Alison Schwartz and Michelle Tan, April 6, 2012