Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are still ''united''.

The former couple announced last week while vacationing in the Bahamas with children Violet, nine, Seraphina, six, and Samuel, three, that they are to divorce, and they plan to keep their focus on their children.

A source said: ''The family felt it was important to be together and they were together. The family are united and, no matter what, will protect the kids.''

The 'Gone Girl' star arrived in Baker's Bay on June 28, before his estranged wife arrived at their holiday home the following day - their wedding anniversary - and they made the divorce announcement on June 30.

But despite putting on a united front, onlookers said it was clear the pair were under strain.

One observer told People magazine the couple sat on the stairs to the beach together but had ''no physical contact'' while having a brief ''serious'' conversation, in which the 42-year-old actor appeared ''distracted''.

However, the source added: ''They seemed to be cordial to each other. They would look at each other and speak and then both look away in silence.

''A lot of the time, they seemed to just stare off into space.''

Ben - who plans to live in a separate property on the grounds of the family's estate in Pacific Palisades, California - left the exclusive resort on July 3, while 43-year-old Jennifer departed with the children two days later.

It was previously claimed Ben and Jennifer ''worked really hard'' to save their marriage before accepting it was time to separate.

A source said: ''These are two people who really tried to save their marriage and worked really hard at it.

''Ultimately they had grown apart and they did what was best for their kids.''