Actress Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband of 11 years, Matthew Broderick, who is alleged to have had an affair, have been 'living separate lives for some time', it has emerged.

A US magazine has revealed that the strain between the couple has been evident for some time, and they have rarely been seen out together in recent months. 

The source said: 'Sarah and Matthew have been struggling for years. Now that news of Matthew's cheating has broken, they have decided to make things work - especially for the sake of their son, James.'

The couple lead a fairly normal life in New York, but a source said that the actress had confided in his wife, and saying she and Broderick 'had been out of love for a long time  but remain married for their son.

'They are both great people but just not meant to be in a relationship.'

Other sources have long speculated that their marriage is in trouble because the couple are rarely seen together.

But despite being 'devastated' by allegations her husband had a three month affair with a 25-year-old youth counsellor, Sarah Jessica does not want to end her marriage.

Instead, the Sex And The City star and her actor husband are trying to make their marriage work, for the sake of their son, James Wilkie.

Another source, neighbour Scott Johnson told Star: 'I'm not surprised it came out that one of them cheated. I always see one of them pick up their son from school.

'Sarah seems very focused on her career and Matt hasn't been doing much lately'.

The US magazine Star first reported the allegations that Broderick had allegedly had an affair with a woman young enough to be his 'daughter' which have 'devastated the 43-year-old Sex And The City star. 

The source said: 'Sarah's in a lot of pain. It's hard to believe Matthew would cheat on her once, let alone several times over the course of months!'.

Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick Splitting Up?