Frances Gibb, Legal Editor
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Heather Mills is expected to be awarded a lump sum of between £25 million and £30 million in her divorce proceedings with Sir Paul McCartney — the amount that he offered originally.
On top of the lump sum, which may be paid in instalments, there will be annual maintenance payments for the couple’s daughter, Beatrice, which could be as much as £100,000.
A sum of up to £30 million, which is in line with the predictions of most matrimonial lawyers, would mean that Ms Mills will not have received any more than the offer originally on the table when she had the opportunity to reach a settlement with Sir Paul in the autumn.
In that sense, Sir Paul’s legal team — Fiona Shackleton, his solicitor, and Nicholas Mostyn, QC, his barrister — will have secured a good deal, but at the extra cost of a five-day hearing in the High Court.
But such a deal may be worth it for Ms Mills if she has won her freedom not to be bound by the confidentiality clause that Sir Paul was keen to secure. Her refusal before Christmas to agree to such a confidentiality clause was the stumbling block to an agreed settlement and meant that the issue had to go before a judge for decision.
The draft judgment drawn up by Mr Justice Bennett is now with both sides and will be delivered formally on Monday. The judge will then hear argument as to whether some or all of his judgment should be made public.
But if both parties agree that they do not want any publicity, then the judgment will not be released. Ms Mills may well oppose publicity, other than the bare terms of the order, as she may hope to reveal details of the couple’s marriage in interviews, a book or film.
Any public version would almost certainly be heavily revised but would aim to end speculation on how much the former Beatle is paying the former model from his reputed £825 million fortune.
James Stewart, a matrimonial partner with Manches, the London law firm, said: “If the judge decides to make a version of the judgment public, then this would represent another movement towards a more open family justice system.”
There have been reports of demands from Miss Mills varying between £10 million and £80 million to end the four-year marriage. If either she or Sir Paul do not agree with the judge’s verdict, the case could go to the Court of Appeal, where High Court Family Division secrecy ends and the whole of the case will be in the public eye.
Julian Lipson, a matrimonial partner from Withers, in London, said: “If the figures for Sir Paul’s wealth are broadly as press reports have said, a judgment in the region of £25 million is within the ‘possible’ bracket. But the devil may prove to be in the detail and I don’t necessarily think we can rely on its being 100 per cent accurate as a standalone figure.”
He added: “For example, it might be £25 million plus transfer of her house on top, or £25 million plus extra money in trust for the couple’s daughter’s upkeep or for her school fees. Or a combination of the above.” Marilyn Stowe, a family lawyer with Grahame Stowe Bateson, of Harrogate, said that she had predicted an award of £20 million to £30 million. “Sir Paul’s famously frugal living standards will work in his favour.”
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Nice work if you can get it ! £25 million, fo eighteen months work, this is obscene, it rather looks like a scam from the start.
If only the courts would stop encouraging this sort of thing, perhaps more women would marry for love as men do.
Clive Burghard, LANCING, England
what did heather actually contribute to the marriage?
phil tregear, beccles, uk
I wonder how much that works out at for each time they had sex. Puts Ashley Alexandra Dupre into perspective.
Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK.
What Heather Mills should remember that no matter what she feels about Paul McCartney he is her daughter's father and for the sake of her daughter she should for once keep her trap shut - no books, no movie deals, no interviews, no nothing - she's had more than her fair share of those infamous "15 minutes" of fame.
It didn't work out - but she has a beautiful daughter, she's got more money than she's ever had and now she needs to move on and be a less insane person. Some day her daughter is going to see clips of her raving on these interviews and be angry, mortified and become alienated from her own mother - all cause Heather couldn't act with some sense of dignity, decorum and class.
Katy, NY, USA
Heather Mills has a history of good work for her charities. She has paid her dues.
Sir Paul McCartney has made use of a Barrister and QC that my ex-partner used. These men always use the same mysogynist tactic against women when representing men.
My ex-partner behaved despicably but Sir Paul is worse because he has a daughter. He legally married Heather Mills. Quite apart from anyone's press guided opinion of her motives or judgment of her during a difficult time in her life when she may not be at her best in any way, it was Paul McCartney who legally took the steps he did all the way through this business. Real men stand by their decisions and do not pay the "Mr Pay Outs" of this world to feed the press salacious and confidential information about the mother of one of their children.
Open the Family Court system, demand accountability of the officers of the court and their costs, bring on 'no fault divorce' and an equal playing field for all partners!
Glory Anne Clibbery, London, England
Of course it was the money and I suspect planned
from the the word go. There has been a lot of surprise
regarding the Governor of New york spending $4000
on a prostitute, I wonder how much PM's encounters
work out per contact. No doubt about it he would have been better off doing a bit curb crawling.
Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand
Sally, London - It matters not a jot if McCartney is a "saint" or not. That is nobody's business but his and Heather Mills, and I'd wager that she isn't much of a saintly figure either. Nor is it rubbish to send a child to a state school. McCatney's three older children were, and they didn't turn out badly at all. Heather Mills has brought much of the vitriol she attracts unto herself - that is frankly undeniable.
Elsa, Wrexham, Wales
I say let's just wait and see if she lives up to the promises she made about giving most of her settlement from the divorce to charities. If she does - and I sincerely doubt that she will - it will show that she's not the golddigger that everyone says she is.
It's your basic 'walk the walk' and not 'talk the talk.' In other words - will she put her money where her mouth is? Only time will tell. And that is when we shall all know the true Heather Mills. And sadly, that is when Sir Paul will learn whether she really ever loved him or was simply drawn to his money.
Doreen, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Why ?
Ian Payne, WALSALL,
It shocks me to think I have contributed to the payout by buying Beatles Records and DVD's over the past 40 odd years.
David , Maidenhead,
Paul will still be earning millions from all the royalty. so, he is still way richer.
fe p, carson , CA
Well I guess her favourite charities will receive 80 to 90 percent of her divorce settlement then, won't they! Didn't she say she gives away the majority of her income to charity or was that yet another 'media lie'? Didn't she say that at the start of this marriage to and divorce from McCartney business? Otherwise she is, I presume, about to become one of the famous stingy rich whom she recently maligned in Dublin. It's fascinating how this kind of carry-on does not seem to have changed over the centuries. We just dream that we're modern.
A., London,
Macca and Mucca were both on Larry King shortly after they were wed. LK put to her the accusation that she was just marrying Macca for his money. She said certainly not, 'I had a house and a job before I met Paul' she replied.
Mmm.
Terry Walpole., Queens Park. Brighton, England
I think it'ssad when any marriage comes to an end especially where there are very young children involved. I suspect they will both be relieved that the circus is finally leaving town.
Pat, london, uk
Pay her in US dollars.
ys, CA, USA
Get real. He is not a saint.
For the harassment and vitriol of daring to live with a 'sacred Beatle' she actually does need that amount of money for protection from nutters and kidnappers, especially while her child grows up and needs a safe education away from Paul's 'send her to state school' rubbish.
Why anyone thinks she's mentally ill is absurd. One of the smartest women on the planet.
Sally, London,
30 million for four years? Nice work if you can get it.
Paul Kerr, Victoria, Canada
what a gold digger. she's young and able... should support herself, and only ask for a reasonable amount of child support.
rmf
rmf, portsmouth, nh
I think if he just paid for her mental institution would be a fair deal!
Catdubh, Brazil
Catdubh, Rio de Janeiro,
£25M too much !!
Mike Jones, Farnborough, Hampshire
She said in a speech in Ireland that she felt the rich were stingy and mean. How much of his money will she give away?
Marie, NY, US
Uh.....ok. Think she deserves everything she has worked toward: nothing. Heather Mills is a disgrace to independent woman everywhere. Shame, shame, shame.
jamie, chicago, il
£25 million, how will the poor thing manage?
Andy, France,