Ritchie gets richer from Madonna divorce (News Feature)

By Anna Tomforde Dec 16, 2008, 12:01 GMT

A file picture dated 01 September 2008 shows British director Guy Ritchie and his then wife, US singer Madonna arriving at the World Premiere of his film \'RocknRolla\' at the Odeon West End in London, Britain. EPA/DANIEL DEME

London - A famous country pile, an elegant town house, a smart pub in Mayfair and the value of luxury homes in London and New York are among the spoils of matrimony with which Britain's Guy Ritchie is walking away from his eight-year marriage to Madonna.

Ritchie, a publicity-shy film director of considerable means, insisted for weeks that he did not wish to have a 'penny' from the mega-fortune of his US popstar former wife after the couple were granted a divorce on November 21.

But now a war of words has erupted over Ritchie's claim. Madonna, continuing on her raunchy Sticky and Sweet tour in Brazil while Ritchie is shooting a new film on Sherlock Holmes in Britain, has chosen to put the record straight.

Ritchie would be receiving at least 50 million pounds (76 million dollars) in property and cash from the singer, her spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, revealed in New York.

'I'd assume it's one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement,' stated Rosenberg laconically.

Madonna, said to be worth some 450 million pounds, agreed to hand over property - and some 2.4 million pounds in cash - to 'wash her hands of life in Britain,' the Daily Mail quoted a source close to the singer as saying.

But Ritchie's friends remain sceptical. 'It all hinges on the value of their properties and we all know how house prices are suffering,' said one, pointing to the pound's current struggle against the dollar.

'There are some questions whether it's as high as Madonna is claiming,' a friend of Ritchie's told the Daily Mirror, while his spokesman declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations.

Whatever the final sums will be, Ritchie's settlement from what was a strictly non-public 'quickie' divorce is already regarded as a record payout made to a male from a former wife's fortune.

Divorce lawyer Andrew Newbury, of Manchester-based law firm Pannone, said Ritchie, 40, could become part of a growing trend of men trying to claim assets from their richer wives when their marriage collapses.

Madonna's decision to base her family in Britain, the absence of a pre-nuptial agreement and the fact that the legal proceedings took place in a London court, meant that Madonna would be facing the potential of a much much larger settlement than if she lived, for instance, in California, said Newbury.

According to British press reports Tuesday, Ritchie will keep Ashcombe House, a 14-million-pound Georgian manor house in Tollard Royal, in the southern county of Wiltshire, where famous fashion and portrait photographer Cecil Beaton once held court.

The 18th century Punchbowl pub in London's Mayfair, where Ritchie likes to go for a pint and play music with friends, will also be his for good, as will a multi-million Georgian town house in Regent's Park and the value of former marital homes in London and New York, worth in excess of 18 million pounds.

The sum total of Ritchie's spoils would top the scale of celebrity divorce payouts in Britain, dwarfing the 24.3 million pounds Heather Mills received from ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, experts said.

In the US, basketball star Michael Jordan and pop singer Neil Diamond share first place for record payouts in excess of 150 million dollars - to their former wives.