Robin Thicke and Paula Patton may have been putting on a brave face for the world in the months before announcing their separation, but in reality their marriage had been on the rocks for some time.
It has been a long time coming," a source close to Thicke tells Us Weekly.  A second source adds: "It is not a shock to Robin or Paula, and it is something they have discussed for a long time."
That didn't stop the "Blurred Lines" singer from making one last attempt to save his marriage last week. According to TMZ, Thicke cancelled his Atlanta concert to fly to Canada, where Patton is shooting a movie, to convince her not to leave him. Sources say the couple, who have a 3-year-old son, Julian, talked for a long time until Thicke realized Patton was determined to end their marriage, and he reluctantly agreed. He then cancelled his next concert in Orlando to be with their son.
One possible nail in the coffin of their eight year marriage? Miley Cyrus. "The Miley fiasco was a big test of their relationship," the insider reveals of the pop stars' titillating performance at the MTV VMAs last fall. "He asked [Patton] to help him out as a friend and a wife, and defend him and the performance. He begged her to speak out for him and be there for him." According to the source, Thicke also requested Patton hold off on the separation until after awards season. 
"She agreed to be the good wife after he begged and pleaded," the source explains. "Then he asked her to stick with him through awards season, and she agreed. She attended the Grammys with him as a favor."
Though Hollywood divorces are rarely surprising, the couple's separation has still shocked fans because of their frequent and vocal adoration for each other over the years. When asked about the Miley Cyrus controversy on the Today show last September, Patton said, "At the end of the day it's love. We're still madly in love."
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(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)