Here's Why Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth Have Decided To Breakup

Bad news for Liley fans — Liam and Miley are no longer together. Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus are splitting up after almost a year of marriage, as per People. On Saturday, the couple issued a statement to confirm the separation, and assured fans that the decision was doing what was "best" for both of them. Rumors that the couple were no longer together started on Saturday, Aug. 10, after Cyrus posted a vacation photo on Instagram in which she didn't appear to be wearing a wedding ring, according to People. Bustle reached out to Cyrus and Hemsworth's reps for comment on the split, but did not hear back at the time of publication.

On Saturday, a representative for Cyrus issued a statement to People regarding the breakup. The rep said:

"Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time. Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers. They still remain dedicated parents to all of their animals they share while lovingly taking this time apart. Please respect their process and privacy."

In addition to taking some time alone, the two cited busy career schedules as contributing to the separation. Moving forward, the stars also promised fans their pets would not go neglected. Cyrus and Hemsworth are both animal lovers — together, they had seven dogs, two mini-horses, two horses, two pigs, and three cats, according to InStyle.

The star's decision to part ways comes after just eight months of marriage. In December of 2018, Cyrus and Hemsworth wed in Nashville, Tennessee, after years of on-again/off-again dating. The two met and started a relationship on the set of The Last Song in 2009, and got engaged for the first time in 2012. They broke off the engagement in 2013, and after several years apart, rekindled their romance in 2016.

Following the initial split, Cyrus discussed how the couple had grown in an interview with People. "I needed to change so much. And changing with someone else not changing like that is too hard," she said. "Suddenly you're like, 'I don’t recognize you anymore.' We had to refall for each other."

Though the couple have kept their marriage largely private, the "Mother's Daughter" singer has been candid about the relationship in several interviews. In February, Cyrus called their union nontraditional in an interview with Vanity Fair. "The reason that people get married sometimes can be old-fashioned, but I think the reason we got married isn't old-fashioned— I actually think it's kind of New Age," she said. "We're redefining, to be f*cking frank, what it looks like for someone that's a queer person like myself to be in a hetero relationship."

In July, Cyrus discussed her unconventional relationship with Hemsworth in Elle. She said: "I think it’s very confusing to people that I’m married. But my relationship is unique. And I don’t know that I would ever publicly allow people in there because it’s so complex, and modern, and new that I don’t think we’re in a place where people would get it. I mean, do people really think that I’m at home in a f*cking apron cooking dinner? I’m in a hetero relationship, but I still am very sexually attracted to women."

Cyrus also said that she considered Hemsworth the healthiest person to have in her life at the time. "I made a partner decision. This is the person I feel has my back the most," she said. "I definitely don't fit into a stereotypical wife role."

Given these past interviews, it sounds like these two know each other — and themselves — very well. The couple have been through a lot, and if taking time apart is what these two need, it definitely will be the best choice for both of them in the long run.