Madonna, Guy Ritchie’s ex-wife (WireImage for Smirnoff)
Guy Ritchie has opened up about his eight year marriage to Madonna, saying that he felt like he’d “stepped into a soap opera.”
“You’re right, I stepped into a soap opera,” the British director tells Details about his relationship with the Material Girl. “I lived in it for quite a long period of my life.”
But while living with one of the most famous women in the world may have been dramatic, Ritchie says he wouldn’t rewrite his personal history. “I enjoyed my first marriage,” he said. “It’s definitely not something I regret. The experience was ultimately very positive. I love the kids that came out of it, and I could see no other route to take.”
Madonna and Ritchie were introduced by Trudie Styler, Sting’s wife, and married in 2000 at Skibo Castle in Scotland. They had two children together — biological son Rocco and adopted son David Banda. But the couple split in 2008, amid rumors that Madonna wanted to adopt another baby and that the two resented each other’s career commitments.
In 2009, Ritchie met model Jacqui Ainsley at a dinner party and they began dating. In September, Ainsley gave birth to the couple’s first baby, a boy. But while he’s moved on, Ritchie still thinks often of his marriage to Madonna.
“When you end up with a lot of the things you set out to chase and find that you’ve stumbled into all sorts of hollow victories, then you become deeply philosophical,” he said. “I’m quite happy that that experience was accelerated for me. I’m glad I made money, in other words. And I’m glad I got married.”
He recognizes that his thoughts on his relationship are a little all over the place. He adds, “I’ll probably be more eloquent on it 10 years from now.”