Mr and Mrs Knowles: Beyonce's parents are divorcing after 29 years of marriage.
The parents of pop diva Beyonce have started divorce proceedings after almost 30 years of marriage.
The news comes a month after Beyonce's father and manager, Mathew Knowles, 58, was named in a paternity suit.
Actress Alexsandra Wright, from Los Angeles, claimed in the lawsuit that he is the father of her unborn child.
Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, 55, began divorce proceedings against her husband on November 11.
The couple, who wed in 1980, yesterday issued a statement saying the decision to end their marriage was amicable.
'If anyone is expecting an ugly, messy fight, they will be sadly disappointed,' they said.
In addition to 28-year-old Beyonce, they have another daughter, 23-yearold singer Solange.
Tina Knowles runs a clothing company called House Of Dereon with her superstar daughter.
'The decision to end our marriage is an amicable one. We remain friends, parents, and business partners,' said Mrs. Knowles. 'We ask for your respect of our privacy as we handle this matter.'
But despite the reports of his infidelity, a friend of the Tina and Matthew said the split 'really wasn't about affairs'.
They said the couple, who were married in 1980, simply 'drifted apart' and led 'busy, separate lives'.
The source said: 'It's a rough time for the family - especially over the holidays. The kids are sad, but it's been unraveling for some time. They will try to make it cordial. They put their kids first, and will still be around each other.'
The Knowles family: (L-R) Solange, Tina, Beyonce and Mathew
Both Tina and Mathew have played a pivotal role in Beyoncé's career, after Mathew quit his job as a medical-equipment salesman to manage the singer's early group, Girl's Tyme, which eventually morphed into Destiny's Child.
He has had producer credits on many of his daughter's projects and is the founder of Music World Entertainment, a label that, through Columbia Records, has released albums by Beyoncé, sister Solange Knowles, Sunshine Anderson, and former DC members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
Beyonce has spoken in the past about her occasionally fractious relationship with her father.
POST COMMENTS BELOW:
DAILYMAIL.COM
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1237119/Beyonces-parents-divorce-30-years-marriage.html#ixzz0aJxHhnRZ
