Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin confirm split

Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow have confirmed the end of their marriage. Photo/Getty

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have announced they are going through a 'conscious uncoupling', in a blog posted this morning.

The pair broke the news of their separation in a joint letter on Paltrow's lifestyle website Goop. The entry on the journal page was titled Conscious Uncoupling.

In the letter, they write: "It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate. We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate."

It goes on to say: "We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been. We are parents first and foremost, to two incredibly wonderful children and we ask for their and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time. We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and coparent, we will be able to continue in the same manner".

The pair sign the letter, "Love, Gwyneth & Chris".

Conscious Uncoupling is a technique that claims to release a person of any break-up trauma, instead encouraging them to reclaim their power.

According to one practitioner, Dr Rebecca Ocean, the process helps to "shift out of any experience of this ending as a failure of love... and into embracing it as an extraordinary catalyst for your evolution and transformation".

Her system has five steps to a happier separation: find emotional freedom; reclaim your power and your life; break the patter, heal your heart; become a love alchemist and create your happily ever after.

The separation comes just weeks after the actress slammed rumours she was cheating on Martin.

There's also been speculation Paltrow's feud with Vanity Fair stemmed from the magazine's plan to publish revelations about her friendship with Elle Macpherson's husband Jeffrey Soffer.

Paltrow married the Coldplay singer in 2003. In July 2013, the pair relocated from London to Los Angeles with their two children, Apple and Moses.

On March 19 US media reported the couple had purchased a house in Malibu for US$14 million (NZ$16.3 million).

Also that month, the 37-year-old Coldplay singer signed on as a special adviser to The Voice in the US alongside Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Usher and Shakira.

Paltrow, who co-stars in the successful Iron Man movies, won a Best Actress Oscar in 1999 for her role in Shakespeare in Love.

- nzherald.co.nz and AAP