London - Arab Today
Just months after giving birth to her first child at age 50, Janet Jackson has split with Qatari billionaire husband Wissam Al-Mana.
While one source said the split is amicable and the couple will co-parent their son, others said trouble had been brewing for months.
“She thought he had become too controlling during the pregnancy and she had already allowed him to dictate her appearance and even the way she performed at concerts,” the source who works closely with the couple said.
Other demands that the “Rhythm Nation” singer gave in to included toning down her 2014 concert tour — wearing clothing that covered her body, instead of the skin-revealing outfits fans had grown to love.
“It drove her crazy and she felt she was losing her fan base.”
Jackson also resented the reclusiveness of her husband, who rarely met with her friends or family, the source said.
Still, the couple hoped a baby would help.
They welcomed their son, Eissa Al-Mana, on Jan. 3 after nearly five years of marriage. After much deliberation over whether to have a lavish wedding, Jackson gave in to Al-Mana’s demands for a simple and private ceremony, sources said.
But Jackson was doing all the compromising — with little give from Al-Mana, 41.
A divorce settlement could be complex and costly as Al-Mana, CEO of the multinational Al-Mana business conglomerate, is estimated to have a fortune of around £800 million ($990 million) — at least four times Jackson’s net worth, reported the Daily Mail.
When the couple married, there was much speculation, never confirmed, that Jackson had embraced Islam, fueled by her appearance in a head scarf.
Source: Arab News