June 25, 2008

There's no doubt Madonna's life is pretty sweet, what with the worldwide fame, palatial pads, adorable kids and biceps that can crush walnuts. But there's one part of her rarefied existence that's less enviable, namely the drumbeat of doom that has long sounded over her marriage to Guy Ritchie, which has lately turned thunderous.

Two weeks after Madonna's rep denied reports she'd hired a divorce attorney and insisted the couple is "very happy," the London Daily Mirror claims their nearly 8-year-old union "is in such crisis they are discussing a split."

The pop icon, 49, and the sometime filmmaker, 39, have supposedly been "living virtually separate lives" for several months and have agreed their relationship "is over," although there's "no bitterness or blame."

"They're obviously sad but they're dealing with it like grown-ups," a "close friend" blabs to the paper. "While they'll be the first to admit they have a somewhat fiery relationship, above all there's a deep respect for each other. Things have just run their natural course."

Pipes in a seemingly fly-on-the-wall mole, "They live like brother and sister rather than husband and wife and thought it best to call it a day. There's been a lot of speculation about them having furious rows all the time, none more so than because of the children. But they have just grown apart."

The Mirror believes the Ritchies will announce their alleged parting of ways when Madonna concludes her Sticky and Sweet world tour at the end of November, and says they're now focused on the well-being of kids Lourdes, 11, Rocco, 7, and David, 2, whose adoption from Malawi was recently finalized.

"They've decided they're better off as friends," maintains the source. "It's sad, but they're determined to keep it amicable."

The paper contends Madonna has met with Paul McCartney's pit bull attorney, Fiona Shackleton (the earlier rumor had her meeting with another lawyer who helped handle his acrimonious split from Heather Mills), but it hedges its bets courtesy of a cautiously optimistic mole.

"They have had separate rooms for a while [in their London home] and are now even on different floors. But you never know with them," says the source. "It's just possible she is trying to call his bluff and jolt the marriage back to life."

The separate bedroom assertion contradicts what Madonna recently told Elle UK, namely, that she and Guy sleep with their BlackBerrys -- in the same bed.

"We lie right next to each other with our BlackBerrys under our pillows," she said. "But it's not unromantic. It's practical."

In that same interview, the Kabbalah-devoted star boasted that sex with her husband is "incredible" and declared that they're the perfect fit, explaining, "I had to marry a challenge, otherwise I would just get bored. Whatever else Guy is, he's never boring."

Madonna's spokeswoman didn't respond to our request for comment on this latest round of rift rumors.

For now, the Big M is busy plugging her tour and her new documentary on Malawi, "I Am Because We Are," which she tells Parade she made after being nudged by a suspiciously pop culture savvy resident of the struggling African nation.

"I was approached by a woman who lived there who said, 'Look, you have children; you're a mother; you write children's books; you donate money to children's charities, so we know that you care. There's a state of emergency going on here, over a million children orphaned by AIDS. People pay attention to what you do and what you say, so could you please help?'" she recalls to the family-friendly Sunday newspaper insert. "I just thought, 'How can I say no?'"

Madonna introduces son David to baseball as they brave the rain at Yankee Stadium on June 22.

Madonna says she didn't know her involvement would lead to the expansion of her family, "but I'll never forget meeting my son, David. If I could, I would have adopted 10 more children. There's just so many that need parents and one's more beautiful and lovely than the next."

On Sunday, she treated the tyke to a day out at Yankee Stadium (Lourdes also came along), where photographers captured her taking in the rainy on-field action, a flashbulb reality she says she's come to accept.

"I don't like to live in a gilded cage," explains Madonna. "I don't want to live my life behind closed doors. I want to be out in the world and I want to be free, and yet, still careful and watchful."

Next: Rumor Report: Trouble for Jen & Ben?