Rumors of Madonna Divorce Rising

LONDON, June 26, 2008 — -- Meet Guy Ritchie, otherwise known as Mr. Madonna, a film director boytoy 10 years her junior.

After seven years of marriage, rumors are rife that the Material Girl is looking to leave her husband.

Their recent appearances together had sent tongues wagging. At Cannes last month, it was difficult to miss the alpha female prowling the media jungle — all eyes on her — while her mate sulked in the undergrowth.

The couple is no stranger to rumors of marital discord — what's different this time?

Well, according to Ian Drew, editor at large of Us magazine, "When there's smoke there's fire, and in this one case where there's been a lot of smoke building and building, and there's a real big poof of it right now."

The poof began with a unconfirmed report in the Times of London that Madonna has hired Fiona Shackleton, a top-shelf divorce lawyer known as The Steel Magnolia.

If true, Madonna has certainly picked a lawyer well disposed to protecting her considerable fortune.

Shackleton was in the news earlier this year for helping Sir Paul McCartney keep his fortune largely intact in his divorce with Heather Mills.

And she took the side of Prince Charles for the end of the "fairytale" marriage with Diana.

Drew told ABC News that "This news has really sent a lightning bolt through the entertainment industry."

If the reports turn out to be true, will this divorce be any different?

Not likely, according to Drew.

"My sense is honestly it hasn't been an all together amicable marriage the last few years, so I don't think it's going to be absolutely amicable."

The Material Girl has amassed an estimated $600 million fortune, going from kooky and curly to cleavage and coiffed.

That said, sales of her latest album, Hard Candy, haven't been stratospheric and last night, promoters of the upcoming world tour had to scotch rumors that ticket sales are soft.

It's tough being a 49-year-old pop princess. Her latest incarnation: keeping it real with the kids on "Hard Candy."

In April this year, Madonna spoke to reporters about her marriage, letting it slip that she is "used to being the diva in the room," before adding, "the person I'm with is much more of a support system for me, so I had to adjust to sharing diva space."