Gwyneth Paltrow says describing Chris Martin split as a ‘conscious uncoupling’ was ‘a bit full of itself’ as she reflects on the ‘unease and unrest’ of their marriage

‘We just didn’t fit together’:

Gwyneth Paltrow reflected on her relationship with her former husband Chris Martin in a candid essay for British Vogue’s September issue.The actress, 47, who was married to the Coldplay frontman, 43, from 2003 until 2016, said there was ‘always a bit of unease and unrest’ within their romance, and admitted initially describing their split as a ‘conscious uncoupling’ was ‘a bit full of itself’.

While confessing they ‘never fully settled into being a couple’, the screen star insisted the exes always prioritised their kids Apple, 16, and Moses, 14, as she told the publication: ‘But man, did we love our children’.  

‘We just didn’t fit together’: Gwyneth Paltrow reflected on her relationship with her former husband Chris Martin in a candid essay for British Vogue ‘s September issue

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‘We were close, though we had never fully settled into being a couple. We just didn’t quite fit together. There was always a bit of unease and unrest. But man, did we love our children’ the Shakespeare in Love actress explained.

Despite their failed relationship, the TV and film star said they had ‘always been good friends’ and shared common interests.

Gwyneth explained: ‘We laughed at the same things, shared a funny bones humour, impressions, utter silliness. We were moved by the same qualities in music: beautiful chords, innovation, harmonies. 

‘Peter Gabriel, Chopin, Sigur Rós – though I listened for pleasure and he like he was studying for an exam. 

Candid: The actress, 47, was married to the Coldplay star, 43, from 2003 until 2016, admitted there was ‘always a bit of unease and unrest’ within their romance (pictured in February)

Loved-up: The media personality has since moved on with producer Brad Falchuk (pictured in 2019), 49, with the couple tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in September 2018

‘Man, did we love our children’: The screen star insisted the exes have always prioritised their kids Apple, 16, and Moses, 14 (pictured in June) 

‘We loved walking to and from Osteria Basilico through the park for pizza, especially on those British summer nights when the sun doesn’t ever seem to set.’ 

The thespian went on to highlight that maintaining a healthy co-parenting relationship was paramount as she added: ‘We loved road trips to the New Forest or to the seaside. But most of all, we loved our children.’ 

The Goop founderfamously left fans confused when she called their shock divorce a ‘conscious uncoupling’ – a term originally introduced by author Katherine Woodward Thomas as an five-step program to promote a ‘calmer alternative’ to amicable divorces. 

Sharing her thoughts on the term six years on, Gwyneth said: ‘I had never heard of the phrase ‘conscious uncoupling’. Frankly, the term sounded a bit full of itself, painfully progressive and hard to swallow. 

Old and new: The thespian went on to highlight that maintaining a healthy co-parenting relationship was paramount (Brad and Chris pictured in 2017)

‘Conscious uncoupling sounded a bit full of itself’: The Goop founder shared her thoughts on the term after separating six years ago (pictured in 2003)

‘It was an idea introduced to us by our therapist, the man who helped us architect our new future. I was intrigued, less by the phrase, but by the sentiment. 

‘Was there a world where we could break up and not lose everything? Could we be a family, even though we were not a couple?’

Even though they came to a mutual decision to separate in 2014, the award-winning star claimed the couple ‘tried everything’ to save their marriage, especially for their children’s sake.

She shared: ‘ Between the day that I knew and the day we finally relented to the truth, we tried everything. We did not want to fail. We didn’t want to let anyone down. 

Going strong: Musician Chris, meanwhile, has been dating actress Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, since October 2017

‘We desperately didn’t want to hurt our children. We didn’t want to lose our family. The questions both philosophical and tactical, seemed unfathomable: who sleeps where, how does bath time work, what do we say to the kids?’ 

Out soon: The September issue is available via digital download and on newsstands Friday 7th August (Marcus Rashford and Adwoa Aboah pictured)

‘I bent myself into every imaginable shape to avoid answering them. But one day, despite all our efforts, I found that I was not at a fork in the road. I was well down a path. 

‘Almost without realising it, we had diverged. We’d never find ourselves together in that way again.’ 

The lifestyle entrepreneur admitted the ‘public’s surprise’ at their break-up only added to the ‘tattered’ star’s ‘tough year’.

She elaborated: ‘The public’s surprise gave way quickly to ire and derision. A strange combination of mockery and anger that I had never seen. 

‘Frankly, the intensity of the response saw me bury my head in the sand deeper than I ever had in my very public life.’ 

The media personality has since moved on with producer Brad Falchuk, 49, with the couple tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in the Hamptons in September 2018. 

Musician Chris, meanwhile, has been dating actress Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, since October 2017.