After fans noticed the 26-year-old singer posting photos without her wedding band while on holiday in Italy over the weekend, a representative for Miley confirmed to PEOPLE that “Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time.”
“Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers," the statement reads. "They still remain dedicated parents to all of the animals they share while lovingly taking this time apart. Please respect their process and privacy.”
The news of the breakup comes a few weeks after the two celebrated their 10-year anniversary, however, according to those close to the couple, the split doesn't come as a surprise.
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“This split isn’t shocking to people who are actually with them every day,” a source told PEOPLE. “After they reunited, everyone thought they were this ‘perfect’ couple, but they still had a lot of issues. They’re not on the same page when it comes to a lot of fundamental things that make a relationship work,” the source adds. “It’s not surprising at all.”
Another source told E! News that Miley and Liam "were drifting apart" and were "trying to make it work for months now."
"They have been trying to make it work for months now but haven't felt they were connecting on the level they were feeling when they got married last year," they said. "It's been a rough year."
While Miley has been mending her broken heart on a girl's holiday with her sister, Brandy Cyrus, and Kaitlynn Carter, who just ended her marriage with Brody Jenner, Liam has been home in Byron Bay with his brother, Chris Hemsworth, and their family. The actor has also been spotted sans wedding ring.
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This morning, Miley addressed the break up on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself standing in front of mountains with the caption: "Don’t fight evolution, because you will never win. Like the mountain I am standing on top of , which was once under water , connected with Africa , change is inevitable. The Dolomites were not created over night, it was over millions of years that this magnificent beauty was formed. My dad always told me “ Nature never hurries but it is always on time”.... it fills my heart with peace and hope KNOWING that is true. I was taught to respect the planet and its process and I am committed to doing the same with my own .... 💙"
Excuse us while we cry into our pillows and watch The Last Song on repeat.
Did you see this split coming?! Here's everything Miley and Liam had to say about their "new-age marriage" before it broke down...
This article originally appeared on marie claire
