Former U.S. vice president-turned-environmental campaigner Al Gore has split from his wife of 40 years.

The Oscar winner announced the news of his separation from Mary 'Tipper' Gore in an email obtained by Politico.com on Tuesday (01Jun10). The statement from the former couple, who celebrated 40 years of marriage just last month (May10), reads, "We are announcing today that, after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate. This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration."

The Gores have four grown-up children. (MT/WNWCZM/KL)

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