Long-Married Couples Divorce More Now Than Ever Before

Forget the seven-year itch. Official numbers suggest that is a relic of history. In Britain today, marriages are most likely to fall apart after two decades on the clock. Data from the Office for National Statistics confirms this shift. For the first time ever, divorces occurring after 20 years have surpassed every other category.

Last year alone saw 102,879 opposite-sex divorces recorded across England and Wales. Of that total, 26 per cent involved couples who had been wed for at least 20 years. That is 27,180 relationships ending after spanning generations. Compare this to the past: previously, the biggest chunk of breakups happened between five and nine years, cementing the popular myth of the 'seven-year itch'. Now, that era has changed. Twenty-three per cent of divorces involved couples married for five to nine years, while 22 per cent covered those together for ten to 14 years.

Why the change? Experts point to a new reality where many partners stay united until their children have grown up before parting ways. Older couples often face not one single crisis but years of accumulated issues, shifting priorities, and a hunger for personal fulfillment later in life. Jeremy Todd, head of family support charity Coram Family Lives, noted that parents frequently remain together until the kids leave home. Once that happens, 'empty-nest syndrome' can expose deep-seated problems that were previously ignored.

Money matters too. Couples now have more ability to separate once they have built enough wealth to fund two households and divide pensions fairly. Dr Chivonna Childs, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, calls this phenomenon 'grey divorce'. It is becoming increasingly common among those over 50. She argues that staying in an unfulfilling marriage is no longer necessary.

'It's not the 18th, 19th or even the 20th century anymore,' she said. 'Staying in a marriage that's unfulfilling is no longer necessary.' Women possess far more financial stability and flexibility now. Attention to mental health has also surged. People are no longer forced to stay married just for money.

These figures mark a long-term shift in how marriages end. The average length of an opposite-sex marriage ending in divorce rose from 10.7 years in 2000 to 13 years last year, the highest point since records began. High-profile splits mirror this trend perfectly. TV presenters Tess Daly and Vernon Kay announced their separation after 22 years in May. Newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky revealed she had separated from her husband following 20 years. Other celebrity pairs include Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Williams, who parted after 25 years, and Colin Firth and Livia Giuggioli, who ended a 22-year union.