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Why Is Joe Jonas Getting Divorced? Inside His Split From Sophie Turner After 4 Years of Marriage
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner were the golden couple of music-meets-magic until they weren’t. Their seemingly fairytale marriage came to an end when Joe filed for divorce after four years of marriage, leaving many fans with more questions than answers about what really happened between them.
Why Is Joe Jonas Getting Divorced From Sophie Turner?
Life & Style confirmed that Joe filed for divorce from the Game of Thrones star on September 5, 2023, via online court records. According to multiple outlets, the DNCE frontman stated that his marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The news came just two days after rumors about the couple’s status circulated, with multiple reports claiming that they were “heading for divorce.”
What Went Wrong Between Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner?
Three months before Joe filed for divorce, In Touch reported that he and Sophie were “at a crossroads” in their marriage after seven years together.
“Things are tense between them,” the source explained at the time. “The two have a lot on their plate right now. … It’s not surprising that there’s tension between them. But they love each other, so whatever it is they’re going through, their friends and family are confident the two will work it all out.”
Sophie and Joe had been spotted together just three weeks before their split was confirmed, as the actress joined the crowd during the Jonas Brothers’ opening night of tour on August 12, 2023.
Following news of their divorce, reports surfaced claiming that the former couple were at different stages in life, pointing to Sophie’s partying as a factor in their split. Sources later told TMZ that Ring camera footage of Sophie seen by the DNCE rocker was allegedly the final nail in the coffin.
Will Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Have Joint Custody of Their Children?
Joe and Sophie have two daughters together – 3-year-old Willa and their 1-year-old daughter, Delphine. According to multiple reports, the couple’s kids have been staying with Joe in Miami, but that “it is in the best interests of the minor children that the parties have shared parental responsibility.”
Sophie sued Joe on September 20, 2023, in a Manhattan court requesting “the immediate return of children wrongfully removed or wrongfully retained,” in documents obtained by Life & Style, asking that the kids be returned to her native England. The actress claimed that during a family visit to her homeland over Christmas 2022, she and Joe jointly decided that they would look for their “forever home” in England, select a school for their older daughter and settle their family there.
The Dark Phoenix star alleged in her court paperwork that they settled on a home in July 2023, but Joe was heading out on tour the following month. He and nanny would have the children in the U.S. for the month of August under a temporary agreement, with Sophie joining them in September. Instead, she claims Joe blindsided her with his divorce filing, which Sophie said she learned about via the media.
“On or about September 1, 2023, the Father filed a divorce case against the Mother in Florida. On or about September 5, 2023, the Mother found out through the media that the Father had filed for divorce,” the paperwork stated.
Sophie alleged that on September 19, 2023, Joe’s Florida attorney confirmed the singer would not return the children’s passports and would not consent for the children to return to England.
On September 21, Joe fired back through his rep that, “After multiple conversations with Sophie,” Joe filed for divorce, which she “was aware” of. He claimed the former couple has a “cordial meeting” in New York on September 17, 2023, and “Joe’s impression of the meeting was that they had reached an understanding that they would work together towards an amicable co-parenting setup.” The DNCE singer added, “Less than 24 hours later, Sophie advised that she wanted to take the children permanently to the U.K.”
“Joe is seeking shared parenting with the kids so that they are raised by both their mother and father, and is of course also okay with the kids being raised both in the U.S. and the U.K. The children were born in the U.S. and have spent the vast majority of their lives in the U.S. They are American citizens,” his statement added, calling Sophie’s lawsuit language “misleading.”
Sophie and Joe reached a temporary custody agreement after engaging in “productive mediation” from October 4 through 7, 2023, and they “believe that an amicable resolution on all issues between them is forthcoming,” according to court documents viewed by Life & Style.
The actress was granted temporary custody over their daughters from October 9 until October 21, 2023, and had the option to be with them in either the U.S. or U.K.
Joe had custody over their children from October 21 until November 2, 2023, and the duo continued this pattern until January 7, 2024. Willa and Delphine spent Thanksgiving 2023 with their dad before going with their mom for Christmas.
The former couple seemingly got on the same page after Sophie dropped her “wrongful retention claim.” A U.K. judge signed off on Joe and Sophie’s consent plan on January 11, six days before a U.S. judge approved the dismissal of the filing, according to a legal document viewed by People on January 17, 2024.
After their temporary custody agreement expired in January 2024, Sophie’s legal team filed paperwork in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to “reactivate” her divorce case with Joe on March 18, 2024, according to court documents obtained by People.
“The filing was a legal formality, and the couple continues to negotiate an amicable resolution,” a rep for Joe told the publication.
Did Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Sign a Prenuptial Agreement?
Joe and Sophie did sign a prenuptial agreement, according to multiple reports. Their divorce documents indicated that a prenup was put in place before their May 2019 wedding, though its specifications have yet to be made public. However, according to sources close to the couple who spoke to The Blast, the estranged couple’s prenup will reportedly allow Joe to keep the royalties from both the Jonas Brothers and DNCE, while Sophie will retain her earnings from her acting career.
The sources further claimed that any property owned by Sophie and Joe – in their own names – will remain as such. Details including any spousal and child support will likely be negotiated as their divorce plays out.
