It is stated in the legal papers that Tina and Mathew “ceased to live together as husband and wife on or about January 5, 2009″, which was the exact day of their 30th wedding anniversary, so reports the news media. And while reason that prompted the separation hasn’t been disclosed though, Tina and Mathew have issued a joint statement to the AP on Friday, December 18, stating “The decision to end our marriage is an amicable one.”

The estranged twosome stressed further, “We remain friends, parents, and business partners. If anyone is expecting an ugly messy fight, they will be sadly disappointed. We ask for your respect of our privacy as we handle this matter.”

Tina Knowles and Mathew Knowles have been heavily involved in their daughters’ careers. Mathew serves as a manager to Beyonce and Solange, while Tina was the costume designer of Beyonce’s former music group Destiny’s Child, and is currently serving as the creative director for House of Dereon, a fashion label with which Beyonce collaborates.

Back in October this year, a pregnant woman named Alexsandra Wright filed a paternity suit against Mathew. As of the press time, there has been no further information about the case.