Maria Shriver files to divorce Schwarzenegger

LOS ANGELES - Six weeks after Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed he had fathered a child out of wedlock, his wife Maria Shriver filed divorce papers Friday to end their marriage of 25 years.

The former television journalist and Kennedy family heir cited irreconcilable differences but offered no additional details about the breakup.

She also did not list a date when the couple separated, although they announced they had done so on May 9.

A week later, the former action film star and former governor admitted he fathered a child with a member of his household staff years ago.

Pictures: Celebs who cheat
Pictures: Maria Shriver
Pictures: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Shriver's filing does not indicate the couple has a prenuptial agreement, which likely means Schwarzenegger's earnings from his career as a Hollywood megastar will be evenly divided with his estranged wife.

The couple were married in 1986 and have four children together, including two sons who are still minors. Shriver's petition seeks joint custody of the couple's sons, ages, 17 and 13. Their daughters Katherine and Christina are 21 and 19.

Schwarzenegger's spokesman Adam Mendelsohn declined comment in an email. Shriver's attorney Laura Wasser did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver jointly announced May 9 that they were splitting up after 25 years of marriage. Yet, Shriver moved out of the family's Brentwood mansion earlier in the year after Schwarzenegger acknowledged the child is his.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger said in a statement at the time. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."

Shriver, daughter of Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver and a niece of President John F. Kennedy, met the former Mr. Universe in 1977 at the Robert F. Kennedy Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament in Forest Hills, N.Y.

They married on April 26, 1986, in a white clapboard church in Hyannis, Mass., with many members of the Kennedy clan and celebrities present and a crowd of fans cheering outside. At the time she was an anchor on the "CBS Morning News" and the Austrian-born star was filming another movie.

Shriver stood by her husband's side as he ran for California's governorship in 2003 even after the Los Angeles Times reported accusations by several women that they had been groped by the movie star.

Pictures: Children of Camelot

Schwarzenegger later said he "behaved badly sometimes" and was twice elected to the governorship.

He failed to fix the state's chronic budget problems and left office in January with an eye toward environmental projects and a return to the big screen.

One of his projects was an animated collaboration with comic book legend Stan Lee titled "The Governator," but the project was shelved after Schwarzenegger admitted fathering the child out of wedlock.

Shriver placed her journalism career on hold while her husband served as governor, and her future has been more uncertain. She has appeared in videos posted on YouTube in which she talks about stress in her life, the weight of expectations and the search for faith in a troubled world.

The filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.

33 Photos

Maria Shriver

[zooey39]

I am very proud of Maria's decision. Being raised Catholic and married 46 years I fully understand from those values we were taught how difficult this filing had to be for her. But she has had to make a deep examination of all her values and of her feelings, who she is as a person and what she stands for for herself personally. And she will come out of this discovering wisdom and strengths she didn't even know she possessed and she is being true to herself and what's best for her going forward with her life. I wish her only the best of everything.

[royrogers1948]

The Terminator got Terminted.

[royrogers1948]

opps "Terminated"

[Dgunner]

WHO REALLY CARES? AS ONE OF THE READERS OF THIS SITE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CAN'T JUST POST DIVORCE AND LET IT GO? THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD RATHER READ SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD OF GOSSIP FROM THE MEXICAN COUNTRY OF CALIFORNIA.

[longtree-2009]

good for her. tired of these women who stand by their man like doormats. or for that matter men who stand by their woman, like a doormat.

[inmom63]

If Arnie was unhappy in his marriage...he should have left Maria instead of cheating on her. No excuse works here. He's a rat and I hope she gets everything. I'll never understand women who "stand by their man" in the face of such ridiculous behavior. Why do celebrities, professional athletes and politicians think morals and rules don't apply to them? Talk about marriage and committment not meaning anything!!!

[magnumdr]

How dumb can arnie be. He just lost the best woman that he will ever have a chance with for the rest of his life.

[SirWilk44]

This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry hires an attractive maid to clean his apartment. They eventually start sleeping togethor. She still expects her pay but no longer cleans the house.

[imnho]

I think she just said asta la vista baby.

[formrusmcsgt]

You have to give Maria credit.

She's not like most of the wives of political scumbags who humiliate their wives and then the stupid broads hang in for the perks.....proving they have no dignity whatsoever.

[myopinionpal]

If Maria was poor then she would hang in there for the perks.

[Brookes_Joe_3]

BREAKING NEWS: The Federal reserve is still counterfeiting money out of thin air, reducing the value of CASH by 66% in the next year, causing oil, food, etc. to inflate in price.

[Overruled1]

evrything but bank interests..