Mr Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, a Kennedy heiress and former journalist, separated in May amid revelations that he had fathered a child out of wedlock. The divorce papers cite irreconcilable differences as the reason to end their 25-year marriage. The couple have four children together. Ms Shriver is seeking joint custody of two minor sons, aged 17 and 13.
Mr Schwarzenegger was elected Republican governor of California in 2003. He left office in January, planning to resume his career in Hollywood. In May, it was revealed he had a child with a member of his household staff more than 10 years ago. The divorce papers, filed in a Los Angeles court, do not indicate the couple had a pre-nuptial agreement regarding division of their wealth. Analysts say that indicates they will split evenly Mr Schwarzenegger’s earnings as a Hollywood star since 1986. – bbcnews
