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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Amy Denman

Madonna's brutally blunt question that sealed the end of Guy Ritchie marriage

Madonna's string of high profile romances throughout her 41 year career has caught fans' attention just as much as her catchy hits.

The 64-year-old is currently dating toyboy boxer Josh Popper, 29, who posted a cryptic caption this week following the singer's hospitalisation.

Josh, who began dating the Like A Virgin songstress in March this year, shared a series of boxing photos on his Instagram page days after the singer was taken into the ICU.

He then wrote a thought-provoking caption alongside the share as he penned: "'Give yourself permission to live a big life. Step into who you were meant to be. Stop playing small. You are meant for greater things'.

"Thank you to my coach @fftstrong, my family, and the Bredwinners team for being by my side."

However, one of Madge's most high-profile romances was with film director Guy Ritchie.

The pair met in 1999 and fell in love – tying the knot in 2000.

Guy Ritchie and Madonna were married from 2000 until 2008 (AFP/Getty Images)
The pair welcomed son Rocco together (Getty Images for Ascot Racecours)

Madonna and 54-year-old Guy share son Rocco, who was born in 2000, together. They also adopted son David together.

The Like A Prayer singer once described their love story as "flawless" but after some time, "cracks in the veneer" began to show.

Madonna began to have doubts about her picture-perfect relationship with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director Guy.

She once said she began to realise things weren't what she "thought it was going to be" and began asking one question which saw the downfall of her and Guy's relationship.

In an interview with Newsweek magazine in 2012, she discussed her thoughts towards the end of their romance.

Madonna admitted at the time she was "certainly asking a kind of existential question that I think people ask when they’ve been married that long: 'what is the perfect love?'"

The singer added: "Because when you start off, everything’s great and lovely, and the person you’ve married is flawless, and you’re flawless.

"Then time goes by, and you share a life, you have children, and there are cracks in the veneer.

Madonna and Guy's romance came to an end after she asked herself a question (AFP/Getty)

"It’s not as romantic as it used to be."

She added that she began asking one question which saw the beginning of the end.

"You think, 'This isn’t what I thought it was going to be,' and 'How much am I willing to sacrifice?'," she admitted.

In 2008, rumours of a split began but were shut down by the couple.

It was rumoured Madge was seeing US baseball star Alex Rodriguez, but the singer shut the reports down.

She told People magazine: "My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce. I know Alex Rodriguez through Guy Oseary, who manages both of us.

"I brought my kids to a Yankee game. I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study."

But, in December of the same year, it was confirmed the pair had agreed to go their separate ways.

They entered a compromise over custody of son Rocco, which divided their time between London and New York.

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