Madonna and Guy Ritchie are reported to be discussing a split as their seven-year marriage hits rock bottom.

The relationship between the pop star and her film-maker husband has apparently been strained for months and the pair are believed to be living separate lives in their £6million mansion in London.

A close friend of the couple claimed in the Daily Mirror newspaper that a split was virtually inevitable.

The source said: 'They're obviously sad but they're dealing with it like grown-ups. Things have just run their natural course.'

Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie pictured on the red carpet at the 61st Cannes Film Festival. The pair are believed to be living separate lives in their £6million mansion in London

The paper reports that the couple will formally announce the split when Madonna's world tour ends on November 29.

The 49-year-old singer is now said to be setting her sights on a fresh start and plans to spend time moving between her plush properties in London, New York and Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Ritchie, 39, is currently working on a new, updated film version of Sherlock Holmes.

'They live like brother and sister rather than husband and wife and thought it best to call it a day', a source told the newspaper.

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Madonna appeared at the New York Yankees game at the weekend with her manager Guy Oseary

'They have just grown apart. They've decided they're better off as friends. It's sad but they're determined to keep it amicable.'

Guy was pictured a fortnight ago on a night out with male friends and sources said he and his wife were planning to spend most of the summer apart.

The couple got together after they met at a party thrown by the singer Sting in 1998. They married in a castle in Scotland two years later.

Rather than hide their marital problems, Madonna told a documentary for MTV in 2005 that she 'wanted to end everything'.

'My husband didn't turn out to be everything I imagined him to be', the star said.

Problems first surfaced when Ritchie allegedly disagreed with the decision to adopt baby David Banda from Malawi.

And relations clearly didn't improve, with the singer recently telling an interview: 'Guy can be intolerant of my behaviour.

'But he has certain personality traits which need to change as well.'