Adele has filed for divorce from her husband Simon Konecki, according to court documents lodged in California.
The 31-year-old singer split from her charity entrepreneur husband in April after three years of marriage and seven years together as a couple.
They have a son, Angelo, who was born in October 2012, and the pair have said previously they are “committed to raising their son together lovingly”.
Confirmation of the divorce immediately triggered speculation about how the Tottenham-born pop star’s estimated £150 million fortune will be divided.
She is not thought to have agreed a prenuptial agreement with the former Lehman Brothers investment banker.
One legal expert said that the decision to file for divorce in California, where they own property and Konecki’s ethical company Life Water has a base, could mean he is entitled to as much as half of the singer’s wealth acquired during the time they were living together.
However, others said that because he is independently wealthy and they appeared to have split amicably he was unlikely to make an aggressive claim on her wealth.
Louise Allard, director at Allard Bailey Family Law, said another factor in choosing to divorce in California could be speed as the matrimonial courts in England are sometimes dogged by lengthy delays.
Adele – In pictures
1/27 Singing star
Adele performs at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
2/27 Emotional
Adele was reduced to tears as she picked up the Global Success Award at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
3/27 Carpool Karaoke
Adele joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke on The Late Late Show with James Corden and wows fans with her Nicki Minaj rap
CBS
4/27 Getting angry
Adele flips her middle finger after being interrupted by presenter James Corden following her award win for best British album of the year during the BRIT Music Awards
Dylan Martinez/Reuters
5/27 Adele at the BBC
Tallulah Windmill, Stacey Lee Cuddy, Sarah Evans, Lisa Martin, Adele, Joanie Stewart, Vanity Von Glow, Katy Markham, Emily Woods, Gabriella Parrish. Adele played the part of “Jenny” in a skit for Adele At The BBC, where she auditioned alongside a group of Adele impersonators. As well as performing and chatting with Graham Norton during the TV special, she filmed a comedy sketch, donning a prosthetic chin and nose to subtly alter her appearance for the audition. Long gloves covered the tell-tale tattoo of “Angelo” on her hand. Nine Adele impersonators were then invited to the Wimbledon Theatre to audition for Norton’s new top-secret TV show
BBC
6/27
Adele poses with her six Grammy Awards at 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012
AP
7/27 Laid back
Adele steps out for a cigarette during The Late Show with David Letterman in New York in 2008
Rex
8/27 Winning kiss
Adele accepts Best Pop Solo Performance for Set Fire to the Rain (Live) from presenter Jennifer Lopez at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, Show, Los Angeles in 2013
Rex Features
9/27 Meet and greet
Adele greets her fans in New York in 2015
Rex
10/27 Double Grammy win
Adele at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009
Rex
11/27 Having a chat
Adele on The Paul O’Grady Show’ in 2008
12/27 Awards hoard
Adele at 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2013
Rex
13/27 And another…
Adele at The Brit Awards in 2012
Rex
14/27 Too many to count
Adele at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012
Rex
15/27 Music awards
Adele at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Los Angeles
Rex
16/27 Baby faced
A young Adele at The Brit Awards in 2011
Rex
17/27 Honoured
Adele holding her MBE for services to music presented to her by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in 2013
Rex
18/27 Oscar winning
Adele and Paul Epworth with the gong for Skyfall at the 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars in 2013
19/27 Undercover
Adele at Jonathan Ross’s Halloween Party in 2014
20/27 New look
Adele at 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016
Rex
21/27 Star studded trio
Barbra Streisand, Adele and Shirley Bassey at 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars, Governors Ball, Los Angeles in 2013
22/27 Debut album
Debut Album 19 by Adele
Rex
23/27 Kiss me, quick
Adele at 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars, Press Room, Los Angeles in 2013
Rex
24/27 Double BRIT winner
Adele at The Brit Awards, Press Room, O2 Arena, London in 2012
25/27 Thank you!
Adele – Best Female Solo Artist at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
26/27
dele with the BRIT Awards for Best British Female, Best British Album, Best British Single and Global Success Award in the press room at the 2016 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena, London
Ian West/PA
27/27 Starting out
Adele at the 2008 Brit Awards nominations launch party at The Roundhouse, London
Rex
1/27 Singing star
Adele performs at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
2/27 Emotional
Adele was reduced to tears as she picked up the Global Success Award at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
3/27 Carpool Karaoke
Adele joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke on The Late Late Show with James Corden and wows fans with her Nicki Minaj rap
CBS
4/27 Getting angry
Adele flips her middle finger after being interrupted by presenter James Corden following her award win for best British album of the year during the BRIT Music Awards
Dylan Martinez/Reuters
5/27 Adele at the BBC
Tallulah Windmill, Stacey Lee Cuddy, Sarah Evans, Lisa Martin, Adele, Joanie Stewart, Vanity Von Glow, Katy Markham, Emily Woods, Gabriella Parrish. Adele played the part of “Jenny” in a skit for Adele At The BBC, where she auditioned alongside a group of Adele impersonators. As well as performing and chatting with Graham Norton during the TV special, she filmed a comedy sketch, donning a prosthetic chin and nose to subtly alter her appearance for the audition. Long gloves covered the tell-tale tattoo of “Angelo” on her hand. Nine Adele impersonators were then invited to the Wimbledon Theatre to audition for Norton’s new top-secret TV show
BBC
6/27
Adele poses with her six Grammy Awards at 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012
AP
7/27 Laid back
Adele steps out for a cigarette during The Late Show with David Letterman in New York in 2008
Rex
8/27 Winning kiss
Adele accepts Best Pop Solo Performance for Set Fire to the Rain (Live) from presenter Jennifer Lopez at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, Show, Los Angeles in 2013
Rex Features
9/27 Meet and greet
Adele greets her fans in New York in 2015
Rex
10/27 Double Grammy win
Adele at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009
Rex
11/27 Having a chat
Adele on The Paul O’Grady Show’ in 2008
12/27 Awards hoard
Adele at 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2013
Rex
13/27 And another…
Adele at The Brit Awards in 2012
Rex
14/27 Too many to count
Adele at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012
Rex
15/27 Music awards
Adele at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Los Angeles
Rex
16/27 Baby faced
A young Adele at The Brit Awards in 2011
Rex
17/27 Honoured
Adele holding her MBE for services to music presented to her by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in 2013
Rex
18/27 Oscar winning
Adele and Paul Epworth with the gong for Skyfall at the 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars in 2013
19/27 Undercover
Adele at Jonathan Ross’s Halloween Party in 2014
20/27 New look
Adele at 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016
Rex
21/27 Star studded trio
Barbra Streisand, Adele and Shirley Bassey at 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars, Governors Ball, Los Angeles in 2013
22/27 Debut album
Debut Album 19 by Adele
Rex
23/27 Kiss me, quick
Adele at 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars, Press Room, Los Angeles in 2013
Rex
24/27 Double BRIT winner
Adele at The Brit Awards, Press Room, O2 Arena, London in 2012
25/27 Thank you!
Adele – Best Female Solo Artist at The Brit Awards, Show, O2 Arena, London, Britain in 2016
Rex
26/27
dele with the BRIT Awards for Best British Female, Best British Album, Best British Single and Global Success Award in the press room at the 2016 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena, London
Ian West/PA
27/27 Starting out
Adele at the 2008 Brit Awards nominations launch party at The Roundhouse, London
Rex
She said: “When you apply for the final decree it can take up to three months for the courts even to reply and this is causing huge problems for people.”
The couple first began dating in the summer of 2011 and married in a secret ceremony in 2016. Adele did not publicly speak about the wedding until her acceptance speech at the 2017 Grammys.
They have not been seen in public together since January, when they attended an Elton John concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Adele released her debut album, 19, in 2008, which contained the songs Chasing Pavements and Hometown Glory and reached number one in the UK.
Her follow-up, 2011’s 21, brought even more success thanks to the singles Someone Like You, Rolling In The Deep and Rumour Has It.
The record topped the charts in 30 countries, including the US and UK, and cemented Adele’s status as one of the world’s most successful artists.
Adele released her most recent album, 25, in 2015, which contained the single Hello. It proved to be another critical and commercial success.
Recent reports suggest the north London star is recording new music.
She was pictured entering a recording studio in New York City in March.
