Charlize Theron has split with Dublin-born lover Stuart Townsend after a nine year romance which included recent statements that they wanted to have a family. The couple decided to split after a trip to Mexico over the holiday season, the Daily Mail has revealed.

A friend of the actress stated: “Stuart is gutted but Charlize said that she realized during the Mexican holiday that the relationship was over.

“They had become more like brother and sister than lovers. It was she who ended it.”

Theron is by far the more successful of the two. She can command $8 million a film while he was recently fired from the blockbuster “Thor” because of creative differences.

“Charlize has remained in their main home in the Hollywood Hills, which is in her name, and he’s moved all his stuff into their Malibu beach home that they own together,” the source said.

“They are sorting out their finances at the moment, as they have been together for so long that many of their financial affairs are intertwined.

“Charlize has never made a big deal of it, but the truth of the matter is that she has been the major breadwinner. She truly loved Stuart but the relationship ran its course. He is heartbroken but she is insisting it is all over.”

To underscore the point, the 34-year-old ditched the commitment ring about which she once said " Stuart gave it to me as a sign of our commitment to each other. I never take it off.”

Theron also stated some time back, “Living with another actor, you always feel guilty if things are going your way and it’s not going that way for the other person.”

In a recent interview Townsend stated he considered Charlize to be his wife.

He said: “I’m married. I didn’t do a church wedding or anything but we consider ourselves husband and wife. We love each other and we want to spend our lives together. I don’t need a certificate or the state or the church to say otherwise.”

He added: “I found this old Victorian ring with little forget-me-nots. I gave it to her as a sign of our commitment to each other. She’s never taken it off.”

However she was not wearing it on the Haiti telethon last week.