Ex Chancellor Gerard Schroeder, who has a penchant for art, cashmere and cigars, has split from wife number four, it has been reported . Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who was once a figure of fun in the political world for his colourful personal life, has separated from wife number four. He has split from his wife of 18 years, Doris Köpf, and moved out of the family home into a separate apartment, it has been reported. Schroeder earned the nickname the 'Audi Chancellor' during his political career because he he has had as many wedding rings as the car maker's symbol. He wed Ms Kopf, a former journalist, in 1997 but has now left their home in the upmarket area of Hanover. Reports suggest the pair will continue to share parenting duties. They adopted two Russian children from orphanages in St Petersburg in July 2004 and 2006. The cigar smoking former Chancellor, who has also been dubbed the 'Lord of the Rings', has had a busy personal life. In 1968, he married his childhood sweetheart, librarian Eva Schubach, divorcing her three years later as his political career took hold. The following year he wed political activist and teacher Anne Taschenmacher. Schroeder married wife number three Hiltrud Hampel in 1984 - they had met at an SPD conference . He has split from his fourth wife of 18 years, Doris Köpf (pictured), and moved out of the family home . Doris Schroeder-Kopf, 51, a former journalist, was the latest wife of the man who is nicknamed the 'Audi Chancellor' because he has had as many wedding rings as the car maker's prestige symbol . Wife number three, in 1984, was Hiltrud Hampel, a socialite environmentalist. They became known as the Clintons of Saxony: Germany's first celebrity political couple who for 12 years wooed the German public with their various campaigns. While Schröder worked on his role as career politician, Hampel a devoted vegetarian, campaigned for animal rights. When he married Kopf, a pretty blonde 20 years his junior, in 1998, he warned her that he changed his wives every 12 years. 'In that case my successor will have to be able to push a wheelchair,' she is alleged to have quipped in response. The former Chancellor was pictured in a warm embrace with the controversial Russian President last year . Schroeder is a close friend of Putin and he has defended the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine . Eva Schubach (married 1968, divorced 1972) Anne Taschenmacher (married 1972, divorced 1984) Hiltrud Hampel (married 1984, divorced 1997) Doris Köpf (married 1997) It is not just his many wives that has landed him in hot water. Last year, Schroeder was snapped hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg as he celebrated his 70th birthday. Schroeder, who was German chancellor from 1998-2005, has long had close ties to Mr Putin and runs a pipeline venture bringing Russian gas to Germany. He also defended the Kremlin's aggressive actions in the Ukraine by claiming Russia wanted to stay 'big and strong' and an equal to the US. In the past, he has described the Russian President as a 'flawless democrat'. He joined the board of the Russian energy giant Gazprom after losing Germany's 2005 election as leader of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are now in a coalition with Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU).
Former Chancellor has split from his fourth wife of 18 years, Doris Kopf . He wed Ms Kopf in 1997 but has now left their family home in Hanover . Dubbed 'Audi Chancellor' for having as many rings as car maker's symbol .