Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, journalist Maria Shriver, announced their separation Monday evening in a press statement. The statement makes no mention of divorce, but does confirm that the two are no longer living under the same roof:

After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion and prayer, we came to this decision together. At this time, we are living apart while we work on the future of our relationship. We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and the center of both of our lives. We consider this a private matter and neither we nor any of our friends or family will have further comment. We ask for compassion and respect from the media and the public.

The LA Times, source of early rumors of their split, reports that Shriver was spotted without her wedding ring in a recent on-camera appearance and speculates that the marriage had been on the rocks since Schwarzenegger ended his gubernatorial career early this year.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver wed in Hyannis, Massachusetts 25 years ago and were considered an unlikely pair: at the time, he was a bodybuilder-cum-action star best known for his eponymous turns in "The Terminator" and "Conan the Barbarian" and she was recognized for her famous family, as the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the niece of John F. Kennedy.

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