Madonna Louise Ciccone is one of the greatest 'material girls' of our time! As one of the world's greatest pop icons, she has incorporated her mastery of the material world into her live performances and her image. She's been doing so for decades and it seems like she'll be doing it forever.

For the legendary pop star, the line between reality and performance has blurred at times, especially when it comes to her personal life. Madonna was married to director, Guy Ritchie, for eight years. They were together in the Oughties, and the dissolution of their marriage got more than a little press attention.

The media had a lot to say about her divorce, just as the media has a lot to say about 'Madge's' many career moves and reinventions! There was a lengthy custody battle over their children, and Madonna and Guy had very cold communications. This former golden couple is composed of two strong-willed people who definitely struggle to co-parent peacefully.

Here are 20 hidden truths Madonna and Guy wanted to keep quiet!

20 An Injury Kickstarted Their Pain

It goes without saying that supporting your spouse through thick and thin is recommended after tying the 'eternally binding' knot...especially when times get tough!

We know it can be easy to feel testy sometimes during the more difficult phases of a marriage, but, metaphorically speaking, Madonna and Guy Ritchie needed extra umbrellas.

When Madonna took a tumble while on tour and broke several bones, Guy felt stifled.

19 Guy Didn't Get His Girl

Madonna once begged a man to open his heart to her, way back in the Eighties; Madge has always been an advocate for open communication!

In real life, she had the same desire to connect, but the reality wasn't so great. During her marriage to Guy, the two experienced differences due to having clashing personalities, especially when it came to empathy. Guy struggled with an inability to be there for Madonna emotionally, on the scale that she needed.

18 Madge Was 'Hung Up' Creatively

We all know Madonna as an iconic entertainer who has recorded and performed decades of catchy tunes...and spearheaded some of the most memorable fashion looks of the last century! However, the Madonna we know wasn't the Madonna her then-husband, Guy, knew behind closed doors.

The "private" Madonna was faced with a sticky situation. She and Guy didn't see eye-to-eye over her public image; Guy was actually uncomfortable with her artistry.

Related: Madonna Cancels With 45-Minute Notice… Can She Learn From Celine Dion?

17 Guy Believed In Money Over Marriage

To outsiders, this marriage between a director and pop diva seemed like a life of total luxury and endless financial security. The former Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie held opposite opinions concerning their financial assets and how important money was to them.

Financial issues often put a strain on relationships! These issues had a hand in driving Madonna and Guy apart.

Guy wasn't subtle at all when he said, "I'm glad I made money."

16 Divorce Rocked Rocco's World

Regardless of celebrity status, being a child of divorce can produce so many intense emotions. When children have famous parents, it's even harder for kids to put a filter on how they're feeling, because of all the media exposure!

Madonna and Guy's eldest son, Rocco Ritchie, didn't like being dragged into arguments between his warring parents, during Madonna and Guy's very public divorce. Rocco wasn't shy about his feelings; he cited "stress" in legal documents.

Related: 15 Rules Madonna Imposes On Her Kids (She Never Followed Herself)

15 Lyrics Showed How Much Love Was Lost

Madonna is no stranger to revealing lyrics and she has an uncanny ability to tell a story, no matter how subtle or intricate the story is.

If you haven't heard a Madonna song as meaningful as "Papa Don't Preach," rest assured that Madge is still sprinkling a lot of deep meaning into her newer lyrics!

Madonna really opened up when she provided fans with a glimpse into her and Guy's deteriorating relationship.

14 'Dress You Up' Had Meaning In The Ritchie Household

Little did Madonna know that, while recording her classic pop tune, "Dress You Up," the literal meaning would eventually hit a little too close to home for her future husband!

Madonna devotees are likely thrilled to discover that she takes her title of iconic style icon so seriously, but she never let Guy forget who was the most fashionable in their household.

Guy once jokingly revealed that he "never wore the same dresses" as his famous wife.

13 Madonna Needed Middlemen

Madge has a reputation for being very open about private matters, but she had to get used to no longer having a direct line of communication with her former husband. The line of communication basically shut down after the duo began to experience difficulties.

Tension mounted when they stopped speaking to each other entirely; according to StyleCaster, Madonna and Guy "Relay(ed) messages through friends hoping it will get back to the other."

12 Madge Thought There Was More To Love

Falling in love, Madonna-style, is about 'living to tell' detailed and candid romance stories through the years. Just think about how candid she has been!

As heartbreaking as it may be to hear, the romance in Madonna and Guy's relationship dwindled and Madge had lots to learn. According to Newsweek via Glamour, she pondered love and its 'perfect' perception. She revealed that 'cracks in the veneer' began to appear.

11 Guy May Have Been Kept In The Dark

What's the deal, dear?

By the middle of Madonna and Guy's marriage, the public suspected that there was trouble in paradise for this duo, but the question is...was Guy aware of what was really happening?

There was an air of mystery over Guy's answer to a question about the happenings in their marriage. When asked if there were problems in his marriage, he responded, "...not that I'm aware of."

10 The Ritchies Were No Longer Rich

One of the biggest pitfalls of divorce, which we all love to ignore, is the amount of energy it takes to deal with post-split financial matters! Not only did Madonna and Guy have to deal with the curiosity of fans and foes...they also weren't exactly having fun divvying up assets.

The bicoastal couple was forced to deal with the different divorce rules of their respective countries.

9 Public Perception Wasn't Pretty

When two famous faces come together, there may be trouble within fandoms!

Whether people love her or dislike her, Madonna's career has given them plenty to discuss, and the attention from fans was something that Guy perhaps wasn't familiar with. When the pair tied the knot, Guy had to get used to his every move being profiled.

According to The Independent, Guy's fans weren't happy with Madge's public PDA with her husband.

8 Madge Was Mad About A Prenup

Unfortunately, Madonna has become well aware of the "three P's" relating to divorce: privacy, protection, and a prenup agreement!

Hollywood's collective ears were raised when the news broke that she and Guy Ritchie decided against having a prenuptial agreement.  Little did Madonna know that a prenup would've been very beneficial.

According to Showbiz411, people who discovered that Madge had no prenup were very surprised.

7 Guy Wouldn't Disguise His Feelings For Madonna

Seeing our heroes deal with all of their demons publicly, because of their celebrity status, can feel unbelievably sad. Unfortunately for Madonna, her ex-husband's distaste for their private relationship became public knowledge.

By the end of their marriage, Guy didn't want anything to do with her and had the nad habit of letting friends know exactly how he felt about her.

6 Mr. Ritchie Couldn't Wait To Take His Ring Off

Hollywood gives us normies the perception that celebs aren't real people with actual emotions, so when we hear of a celeb reacting to a very normal and personal "milestone" in life, we may feel surprised.

His divorce from Madonna took a great toll on Guy. When his divorce from Madonna was finalized, Guy was elated. According to Time, Guy thanked a higher power when he heard the news.

5 Madonna Demanded Certain Foods In The House

The universe knows Madonna, the entertainer, but not much is known about Madonna, the private wife!

Picturing Madge in this traditional role can feel quite odd, but it turns out she is still extremely similar to all of us. In her household she shared with Guy, the 'material girl' loved to indulge in fruit, according to NJ.com.

4 Madge Was Willing To Get Greedy

We know by now how messy Guy and Madonna's divorce was, but our girl always held her own throughout the process! Madge always knew her value and refused to back down when financial matters got rough.

According to the BBC, Madonna knew her wealth, literally and metaphorically, and made sure that Guy knew she that was wondering why she should have to share it with him after their divorce.

3 Guy Couldn't Find Peace With Madge's Pacing

It doesn't take a 'Material Girl' expert to know that Madonna is a high-energy person. She's been going non-stop in her career for almost forty years. Guy had a different energy level and found it hard to keep up with Madonna.

It didn't matter which area of Madonna's life it was...she lived life in a fast-paced way! Guy really felt "tired of the pace [Madonna] had been keeping since their marriage began."

2 No Coffee For Madge

The end of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's marriage 'brewed' a lot to the surface that Hollywood may not be ready to hear, no matter how much time has passed!

We've all been there; we're in the middle of a discussion with our S/O, and the conversation gets a little heated. This happened, in a literal sense, to Guy Ritchie. He once spilled his coffee over an argument.

1 Madonna Was Afraid To Fail For Friends

Despite her star power, Madonna has always been 'true blue' to her self-perception; she has always known how important it was for her to connect with others.

Madge never lost touch with this reality, even amid the devastating dissolution of her marriage. Madonna frequently reached out to her friends and talked over the problems that plagued her.

Related: 20 Photos That Change The Way We See Madonna

Sources: PeopleUs WeeklyMarie Claire UKABC NewsIndependentNew York MagazineStyleCasterGlamourNMECBS NewsIndependentShowbizz411Belfast TelegraphTime MagazineNJ.comBBC NewsNews.com

Next: 20 Household Rules Madonna Actually Makes Her Kids Follow