Fergie is relieved the truth is finally out there.

The Dutchess herself tells PEOPLE going public about her split with Josh Duhamel was like a weight being lifted off her shoulders because she'd begun to feel awkward fielding questions about their relationship.

"Honestly, it was just getting a little weird for us with all the romantic questions. We’re great friends, we love each other so much, and it just got to the point where it was getting a little weird. There’s no perfect time, so we just decided to do it."

Duhamel and Fergie, who have a four-year-old son, called it quits after eight years of marriage in advance of her upcoming album, Double Dutchess.

It's not exactly clear when the couple decided to end things, and there's some speculation whether they made the announcement so she could promote the album without having to falsely answer questions about their marriage.

“You can ask him, but it was just getting a little weird to laugh through the first date questions,” she said. "We just wanted to get adjusted in private."

Fall in Love With 16 of Hollywood's Longest Running Relationships: