With his pending divorce from Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger knows all eyes are on him. Theirs is perhaps the most-watched celebrity divorce in some time. Now, Schwarzenegger has backtracked on denying his soon-to-be ex-wife spousal maintenance.
Shriver had filed for divorce earlier this month, a while after learning that Schwarzenegger had fathered a child with a member of their household staff over a decade ago – a secret he kept for years. She moved out of their home and bought one of her own.
Just last week, Schwarzenegger asked a court not to award Shriver spousal support, as she had requested in her divorce petition. He also asked that she pay her own legal and court fees, which she had also requested.
Why he did this is unclear, although some are speculating it’s because of the size of community property Shriver will get. According to the Los Angeles Times, it’s possible the property and assets will generate enough interest that she won’t need further support from Schwarzenegger.
Whether it was their young son’s recent surfing accident in Malibu that left him in an intensive care unit, or something else, the former Governor of California has apparently changed his mind. According to reports, he has amended divorce papers that had asked for a denial of spousal support to Shriver, as well as her attorney fees.
They are both requesting joint custody of their two minor sons, ages 13 and 17. The couple also has two adult daughters, who are both in college.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Schwarzenegger seeks to avoid spousal support for Shriver,” Victoria Kim, 22 July 2011