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"We have not come to this decision lightly or quickly but with so much going on in the world, we wanted to provide some clarity and closure."
It was just about 12 hours after TMZ broke the news that Miley Cyrus' mother, Tish, had formally filed for divorce from her husband Billy Ray after nearly 30 years of marriage that the couple broke their silence about the decision.
According to the court documents obtained by TMZ, Tish filed the documents in Tennessee, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the couple's split. In the spirit of an amicable split, the documents are seeking an equitable split of marital assets.
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View StoryThe outlet also notes that this is the third time the couple has filed for divorce, with Billy Ray filing first back in 2010, followed by Tish nearly ten years ago in 2013. According to the filing, the couple has been living separately now for more than two years.
Perhaps one fact in the decision to file now is the fact that their youngest child, singer Noah Cyrus, is now 22 years old, meaning there are no issues to address in regards to child custody, which certainly simplifies things.
The amicable tone of the divorce filing was in line with the statement the couple released, jointly even, to People about the dissolution of their marriage. "It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts," it reads.
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View Story"We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths," the statement continues. "We will always be family and look forward to a continued and loving shared experience as friends and parents."
The pair then noted that they "have not come to this decision lightly or quickly but with so much going on in the world, we wanted to provide some clarity and closure, so we can remain focused on what is important."
The message was signed, "With Love and Hope... Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus."
Billy Ray and Tish first got married back in 1993 in a ceremony held in their living room (Miley would subsequently marry Liam Hemsworth in the same place in 2018 -- they divorced in 2020).
Billy Ray would go on to adopt Tish's children from a previous marriage, Brandi, 34, and Trace, 33. He and Tish would have Miley, 29, Braison, 27 and Noah, 22. None of the children have spoken publicly about it since the divorce became known.
