They had been married for almost 20 years.

Michael Gove and his wife Sarah Vine have "agreed to separate" after having been together for almost two decades, a spokesman for the couple has announced. Gove and Vine married in October 2001 but have decided to end their relationship and are "in the process of finalising their divorce." Their spokesman told the PA news agency: "Michael and Sarah have agreed to separate and they are in the process of finalising their divorce. "They will continue to support their two children and they remain close friends. "The family politely ask for privacy at this time and will not be providing any further comment." https://twitter.com/PA/status/1410991859132940292 Sarah Vine is a journalist and a columnist for the Daily Mail, and recently wrote a piece in her column about former health secretary Matt Hancock and his split from his wife. In the column she wrote how Westminster life can drive a wedge between partners. Yahoo reports that a friend of the couple said: "This is a difficult and sad decision for Michael and Sarah after twenty years of marriage. "It is an entirely amicable separation and there is no-one else involved. "They have drifted apart over the past couple of years but they remain friends. "Their absolute priority is the children."