Sanford's wife moves out of house

COLUMBIA, S.C., Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Mark Sanford's wife announced Friday that she plans to leave the South Carolina governor's mansion and move with her four sons to Charleston.

Jenny Sanford and her family returned from a two-week trip to Europe earlier this week, The New York Times reported. She released a statement saying she made the decision "after much careful and prayerful consideration."

Sanford said she and her sons will remain in Charleston at least "for the current school year." She said she plans to make frequent trips to the state capital, Columbia.

The Sanfords' marital problems came under public scrutiny in June when the governor acknowledged he had been visiting his lover in Argentina. His staff had told reporters he was on a solitary hike on the Appalachian Trail.

Both the governor and his wife have said they hope to hold their marriage together.