Madonna divorce deal could break all records, British reports say

Oct 16, 2008, 11:26 GMT

London - A day after pop-star Madonna and film director Guy Ritchie announced the end of their seven-year marriage British newspapers launched into feverish speculation Thursday about how much the split could cost the 'Material Girl' superstar.

Figures ranged from 50 million pounds (86 million dollars) to 150 million pounds, based on the up to 400-million pound fortune Madonna is said to have amassed during her 25-year-career.

Ritchie's fortune is estimated at 25 million pounds.

However, in a statement confirming their split Wednesday, the couple said no agreement on a settlement had been 'worked out yet' and stressed that they remained on cordial terms.

The BBC said Madonna, 50, and Ritchie, 40, were seeking to avoid a nasty court battle over their divorce. However, if the attempt at an out-of-court settlement fails, the matter could well be decided by a judge.

British newspapers were divided Thursday in their judgement on who initiated the split after almost 8 years of marriage.

The Sun said Madonna saw Ritchie as 'lazy' and tight with money, preferring to go to the pub rather than spending time with his family, and failing to support her plans to adopt another child after 3-year-old Malawian David Banda.

The Mirror says Ritchie wanted to end the 'charade' which had turned into a 'three-ring circus.' Friends of the film director are quoted as saying that, under no circumstances, would Ritchie want his divorce to be a re-run of the highly public and acrimonious court battle between ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and Heather Mills in London earlier this year.

However, Madonna was reported Thursday to have hired the services of Fiona Shackleton, the highly-regarded British lawyer who fought Sir Paul's divorce battle and who also represented Prince Charles in his divorce from Princess Diana in 1996.

McCartney successfully employed the argument that most of his wealth was acquired before his four-year marriage to Mills, who walked away with 24.3 million pounds of his estimated 800-million- pound fortune.