The weekend was full of back-and-forth about whether Seal and Heidi Klum were headed for splitsville. On Saturday, many were caught off guard when TMZ reported that Heidi would be filing divorce papers in L.A. County Superior Court as early as this week. But RadarOnline, later reported that the couple was trying to work it out despite going through a rocky time.

With rumors of a lot of fighting between the couple running rampant, the duo has cleared up all of the confusion by releasing a statement to PEOPLE officially announcing their separation:

“While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate.

We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition.

We thank our family, friends, and fans for their kind words of support. And for our children’s sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy.”

Seal first met Heidi in 2003, shortly after she announced her pregnancy and end of relationship with then director of the Italian Renault Formula One team, Flavio Briatore. Klum gave birth to Briatore’s daughter Leni in May 2004 in New York City with the “Kiss from a Rose” singer at her side. In late 2009, Seal officially adopted Leni, giving her his last name (Samuel). With that kind of love, I was sure that this was one Hollywood marriage that would survive the odds.

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