Court grants Madonna and Ritchie divorce

LONDON, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. pop music icon Madonna and her British filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie were granted a divorce in London's High Court Friday.

The couple, who married in 2000 and have two children together, last month announced plans to legally end their marriage.

The BBC quoted a statement released by the court as saying the recording artist petitioned for divorce on the grounds that Ritchie's behavior was unreasonable.

Neither party was in court Friday when the decree was granted, the British broadcaster said.

The Times of London reported Thursday the settlement the former couple reached allows Madonna to retain most of her estimated $440 million wealth. The pact also states her sons with Ritchie -- Rocco, 8, and David, 3 -- will split their time between family homes in the United States and England. Lourdes, Madonna's 12-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, will continue to live with her mother in the United States, the newspaper said.