Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, who announced their surprise split earlier today, had been drifting apart for years, according to reports.
In fact, Shriver had been debating whether to divorce the actor turned Governor since 2009, and was “extremely conflicted” about their marriage.
Maria has been unhappy with him for years, sources say, and planned to break up in 2009 until her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, passed away.
Then, Maria wanted to try to break it off with Schwarzenegger again in January 2011, but her father died, once again putting the split on hold.
In any case, insiders say she is fed up with Arnold’s infidelities, coupled with the fact he’s been “impossible” to live with for myriad reasons.
Moreover, the kids acknowledge the issues and have pushed their mother to call off the marriage, even if it means their parents splitting up.
Despite a strong public persona, Maria has become a “shell of the woman” she appears because she is “terrified” of Arnold in recent years.
Sources emphasize that she’s terrified in a strictly emotional, non-physical way.
As one source says, “He could not be sweeter now that she’s left him.”
To make things even more complicated, Arnold and Maria have been spending lots of time together lately, hanging out during Easter, Mother’s Day and even their 25th anniversary, which they celebrated together at an expensive hotel.
By and large, though, Maria feels Arnold ignored her for years and feels terribly unappreciated after spending “very little time together” for years.
Maria was frequently absent from Sacramento while Arnold was Governor.
The situation got worse once Arnold left office and decided he wanted to resurrect his movie career and becoming more erratic and “unstable.”