Heidi Klum Divorce: Seal Speaks about Split on Ellen DeGeneres Show [VIDEO]

Singer and songwriter Seal made his first public appearance since announcing his spilt from Heidi Klum on Monday. Still sporting his wedding ring, Seal appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show claiming that Klum was still, in his opinion, the best woman in the world.

The couple announced the end of their seven-year marriage in a joint statement, saying they came to the decision after much soul searching.

I think we were shocked. You go into these things with the greatest intentions when you say 'I do' and you say 'till death do us part.' Those vows hold value. They are not just words, Seal said on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

He explained that they had been apart after a while, but both have tried hard to work through it.

It's a shame. To say that neither of us were grieving would be an out-and-out lie (and I don't mind telling you that), he added. I think the operative here is that we are civil to each other and we both have a tremendous amount of respect and love and we try and do this with as much dignity as we possibly can. And, of course, when you have four children, you hope and pray that the rest of the world will respect that we have four children and that their little hearts are at stake too.

When asked about his wedding ring, Seal told Ellen that it felt very comfortable on his hand and he had no plans to take it off.

Yes, I am still wearing my ring, he said. I think it's just pretty much a token of how I feel about this woman. We have eight years. Eight wonderful years together.

Just because we have decided to separate doesn't necessarily mean you take off your ring and you're no longer connected to that person. We will be connected in many ways till the rest of our lives. ... Will we wear the ring for the rest of our lives? Who knows? he added.

In their joint statement , the couple reiterated that the process had been amicable, stressing that they would be protecting the well-being of their children, especially during the transition period.

Competition in their career, Seal's apparent hard partying and temper' were cited as alleged reasons for the spilt.They've been fighting a lot lately a source told People.

Klum and Seal have been married since 2005. They have three biological children together: Henry, 6; Johan, 5; and Lou, 2. In addition, Klum also has a daughter, Leni, 7, from a previous relationship with Italian businessman Flavio Briatore.