Madonna divorce: Not a penny for the Guy?

Cathy Gordon,Pa
Thursday 20 November 2008 17:28 GMT
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(REUTERS)

Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie are to be divorced tomorrow.

Their case - Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S - is listed before District Judge Reid under the "quickie" divorce procedure.

Their decree nisi is to be announced at 10am in Court 10 of the Principal Registry of the High Court's Family Division.

It is not necessary for the couple to attend the proceedings in High Holborn, central London.

Tomorrow's hearing is likely to last a matter of minutes. Both parties are entitled to attend if they wish but in most high profile celebrity cases, the divorcing couple choose not to.

There was no immediate comment from Madonna's spokeswoman.

The Evening Standard newspaper in London reported today that Ritchie has done a "Piper" - by refusing to take a penny of Madonna's fortune, estimated at £300 million.

Ritchie, who has had a successful career in his own right, is believed to be worth around £30 million.

Billie Piper was praised when she walked away from her marriage to Chris Evans without taking any of his cash.

The Standard reported that a source said the couple's two boys - Rocco, eight and three-year-old adopted David Band will split their time between Britain and the US.

The newspaper reported that Lourdes, 12, Madonna's child from an earlier relationship, will remain with her.

The source told the newspaper: "The priority for him has always been the children.

"Ritchie has not wanted her money."

The couple announced they were splitting on October 15, ending months of speculation.

A short joint statement at the time read: "Madonna and Guy Ritchie have agreed to divorce after seven-and-a-half years of marriage, their representatives confirmed today.

"They have both requested that the media maintain respect for their family at this difficult time."

Film director Ritchie, 40, married Madonna seven years ago at a lavish ceremony in Scotland.

But rumours circulated in recent months that their relationship was increasingly under strain.

Just weeks before the divorce announcement, the couple made a very public show of affection in what was seen as a move to end speculation surrounding their marriage.

Madonna walked down the red carpet with Ritchie at the world premiere of his latest film in London's Leicester Square.

She made a surprise appearance at the event after the stars of Ritchie's film RocknRolla met fans and the press.

Wearing a short black Stella McCartney dress with jewels down the front, the singer walked arm-in-arm with Ritchie and posed for photographs.

Prior to the Leicester Square appearance, Ritchie stamped on suggestions that his marriage was over with a public show of support at his superstar wife's 50th birthday party.

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