Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman are 'going through rocky times,' quarantining separately
Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer are going through a rough patch in their relationship.
Palmer, 44, announced on Sunday night that she and the Good Omens author would no longer be quarantining together because of hardships in their relationship.
Gaiman, 59, had previously flown to New Zealand with their 4 1/2-year-old son, Ash, to be with Palmer during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"neil moved to the UK, my heart has been broken, and i am really struggling," The Dresden Dolls singer wrote on Twitter Sunday, adding that Ash is staying with her in New Zealand.
About an hour later, the singer explained more about what was going on in their relationship on her Patreon.
"since people are getting confused and asking and my phone and inbox is blowing up with 'where‘s neil'? a few times a minute," she wrote, "i can only gather that he’s finally told the internet that he’s left new zealand, and i thought i would come here with a short note."
"i’m still in lockdown here in new zealand with 4-yr-old ash for the foreseeable future," wrote Palmer, who had been on tour in the area before stay-at-home orders went into place. "all i can say is that i’m heartbroken, i really am profoundly struggling and i need to call my community to me like never before. i need you."
"i am so far from home and so alone right now. i do not know what is going to happen," she continued, adding that her and Gaiman's separation "did not happen because of COVID or lockdown." Palmer added, "though the timing is comically bad; other things came to light after we got here to new zealand."
Taylor Hill/Getty Images Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman, son Ash
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Palmer kept details of her and Gaiman's fallout vague.
"my commitment to radical compassion has not shifted," she wrote. "i am trying. i have a great deal of compassion for neil. i always have and always will."
"i love him, deeply," she said.
While Palmer suggested that Gaiman had spoken publicly about leaving New Zealand, it seems as though the American Gods author was unaware that Palmer was going to address their relationship.
On Monday, the fantasy novelist acknowledged that they were having difficulties.
A post shared by Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) on Apr 26, 2020 at 8:07pm PDT
A post shared by Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) on Mar 23, 2020 at 7:30pm PDT
"I see @amandapalmer has told people that we (like much of the world) are going through rocky times right now," Gaiman wrote on Twitter. "It is true, we are. It's really hard, and I'd like to request privacy (as I'm not going to be talking about it publicly) and kindness, for us and for Ash."
It's unclear if Palmer and Gaiman, who were married in 2011, are calling it quits for good or are simply taking time apart.
In March, Gaiman explained that he and Ash had recently flown to New Zealand so that the family could be together.
"We flew in very suddenly to be with Amanda and got here a few hours before we would have gone into isolation — otherwise she would have come back to us post tour and would have had to go into isolation in Melbourne," Gaiman wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Ash in celebration of the toddler's half birthday.
Michael Kovac/FilmMagic Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman
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Last week, Gaiman shared a selfie with Ash, writing in the caption, "Portrait with self administered haircut and cake batter. Life during lockdown."
"At least he's still incredibly happy," he added.
On Monday, Palmer shared a photo of herself and Ash sleeping in bed, captioning the snapshot simply, "i love you."
Palmer has been candid previously about the couple's open marriage.
A post shared by Amanda Palmer (@amandapalmer) on May 4, 2020 at 12:48pm PDT
"We’re not interested in having big, multiple relationships," she told the Sunday Times last year. "We’re just slutty, but compassionately so."
Both Palmer and Gaiman said in that interview that they've broken each other's hearts before.
"We’ve both shattered one another’s hearts occasionally through bad choices, but our relationship stands it," Palmer said, while Gaiman added, "There are definitely relationships I’ve had in the past where jealousy would have destroyed me in such a setup, and, yes, jealousy does still occasionally occur here, and we have absolutely managed to hurt each other’s feelings."
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