Prior to their split, issues between Mary-Kate Olsen, 33, and her husband of five years, Olivier Sarkozy, 50, were said to have been rooted in their different attitudes towards work.
In a new report by PEOPLE Magazine, sources claim that Sarkozy wanted the fashion designer to be “more available.”
A source told the outlet: “She’s super career focused and he’s very French and wanted her to be more available. You can’t control a girl who has been on the billionaire track since her 20s.”
‘Career-focused’: Mary-Kate Olsen, 33, didn’t want to be ‘controlled’ by her husband Olivier Sarkozy, 50, prior to their split according to a Thursday report by PEOPLE Magazine
Things appear to have turned ugly between the pair, after it was revealed that Olsen tried to file for divorce from the French banker in April but the court said they were not going to proceed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report from TMZ on Wednesday.
The avid equestrian had ‘signed a petition for divorce back on April 17, according to the site and the pair are already living apart.
But she was told that the New York courts ‘were not accepting divorce filings’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are over 21K deaths from the coronavirus in New York state.
Smothered? Issues between Mary-Kate, 33, and her husband of five years, Olivier, 50, were said to have been rooted in their different attitudes towards work.
So Mary-Kate, who started dating Olivier in the spring of 2012, then asked for an emergency order to allow her to file the divorce papers and have them looked into.
The situation is complicated between Mary-Kate and Olivier. According to the site, Olivier has forced his wife to move out of the New York City apartment they shared by terminating their lease without alerting her.
His lawyers told her to leave by May 18 but that is not enough time to get her property together so she asked them for an extension until May 30. She has reportedly not heard back.
Sister act: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen – who have an estimated combined net worth of over $100 million – at the CFDA awards in June 2019 in New York City
In a summons and complaint filed to New York’s Supreme Court on April 17, Mary-Kate wrote: ‘It was clear my marriage was over… the relationship has broken down irretrievably.’
She wrote: ‘My husband has terminated the lease on our New York City residence … without my consent.
‘This application is an emergency because my husband expects me to move out of our home on Monday, May 18, 2020 in the middle of New York City being on pause due to COVID-19.
Solo: She was not pictured with her husband in late November in NYC; seen with Brooke Garber Neidich
‘I am petrified that my husband is trying to deprive me of the home we have lived in and if he is successful, I will not only lose my home but I risk losing my personal property as well.’
Due to the pandemic, Mary-Kate says she can’t ‘look for another apartment right now, let alone retrieve my separate property belongings and am gravely concerned my husband will dissipate, dispose of and / or secret’.
The site added that Mary-Kate felt stuck so she filed a divorce petition so that her ‘property would be protected.’
A divorce petition automatically prevents her from throwing her property out, the site explained and she is said to be ‘petrified’ that she would have no roof over her head.
Don’t take my money! The multi millionaire has also asked that their prenuptial agreement be enforced, and that Sarkozy maintain health and dental insurance for her
‘The relationship between [the two] has broken down irretrievably for a period of at least six months,’ the papers, dated May 13 and signed in East Hampton, state.
Mary-Kate has asked to keep the use of their Hamptons home in Bridgehampton, their main apartment in Gramercy, as well as another apartment on E. 49th Street.
The multi millionaire has also asked that their prenuptial agreement be enforced, according to the site and that Sarkozy maintain health and dental insurance for her.
According to Page Six, exhibits attached to the filing include a May 3 email from Sarkozy where he allegedly states his decision to end the lease on their Gramercy apartment.
He wrote: ‘I am not in a position to extend it and/or pay additional rent.’
Plus, an email from Sarkozy’s attorney Adam Turbowitz to Olsen’s attorneys, which indicates further tension.
He wrote: ‘Olivier advises he went to the NYC apartment yesterday and noticed that a number of items of personal property were removed from the apartment.
‘While Olivier has no issue with Mary Kate taking what she wants/needs, he would like a list of what has been removed so that he can keep track of who has what for the overall personal property division.’
In 2007, Forbes ranked Mary-Kate and her twin sister Ashley jointly as the 11th-richest women in entertainment, with an estimated combined net worth of $100 million.
Mary-Kate has been married to Olivier – whose half-brother is Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of France – since 2015.
They tied the knot at a private home in Manhattan in front of 50 guests who were offered ‘bowls and bowls filled with cigarettes, and everyone smoked the whole night’.
The couple began dating in 2012 and first sparked engagement rumors when Mary-Kate stepped out wearing a giant ring on her ring finger at the start of 2014.
In 2014, Mary-Kate told WSJ magazine: ‘Everyone has an opinion. I find it’s better to focus on what’s in front of you and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.’