Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt went under the needle to declare their love for one another months before they announced that their marriage was over.

Former Buddhist monk/magician-turned-acclaimed tattoo artist Ajarn Noo Kanpai performed the honours for the former couple last February.

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He was flown from Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia where Angelina was on location directing Netflix movie First They Killed My Father.

Angelina has been tattooed twice before by Ajarn Noo Kanpai who specialises in Sak Yant (Thai spiritual tattoos) – first in 2003 and again in 2004.

His other famous clients include model Cara Delevingne and actress Michelle Rodriguez.

New photographs published by The Mirror show the 41-year-old having a large design etched on her back.

The mystical ink was applied using steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle which is said to be more accurate than a tattoo gun, but also much more painful.

For his part, Brad was given a Buddhist symbol on his stomach.

Both were intended "to symbolically bind them as husband and wife", but they separated in September.

That month Angelina filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences".

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie went under the needle for 'binding tattoos' but split months later Getty Images

They have since been embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their six children – Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10 and twins Vivienne and Knox, eight.

Angelina is said to want sole custody and demanding $100,000 (£82,180) a month in child support, according to In Touch.

An insider told the publication: "This will pay for all of the kids' expenses as well as set up a trust fund for each child."

Adding that $250,000 would be set aside each year and put in the kids' trust by Brad and be capped at $5m.

They explained: "Brad has no issue with taking care of the kids, but he prefers the money stay in a trust instead of letting Angelina have control of it via child support payments."

Three-times married Angelina was previously wed to actors Johnny Lee Miller, 44, from 1996 until 2000 and Billy Bob Thornton, 61, from 200 until 2003 – both also ended in divorce.

Before Angelina, Brad was married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston, 48. They married in 2000 with their divorce finalised in 2005.

Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt