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| McCartney divorce hearing begins | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Heather Mills and Sir Paul McCartney have arrived at the High Court in London for a hearing to reach a financial settlement for their divorce. | |
| Ms Mills, who is thought to be representing herself in the case, was ushered into the court building, which has had its windows covered. | |
| The private hearing in the Family Division is expected to last five days. | |
| The couple, who have a three-year-old daughter, Beatrice, announced the end of their four-year marriage in 2006. | |
| 'Vast disparity' | |
| The former Beatle, who arrived a few minutes after Ms Mills and entered the building through a side entrance, has a fortune estimated at £825m. | |
| There has been speculation among divorce experts, based on recent cases, that the settlement could reach £60m. | There has been speculation among divorce experts, based on recent cases, that the settlement could reach £60m. |
| Heather Mills was pictured arriving at court | |
| The record currently rests with the £48m which businessman John Charman was told by the courts to pay his former wife in May last year. | The record currently rests with the £48m which businessman John Charman was told by the courts to pay his former wife in May last year. |
| Suzanne Kingston, a family law expert, said: "Current estimates suggest that Heather is likely to receive anything from £50m to £100 million as her final settlement. | Suzanne Kingston, a family law expert, said: "Current estimates suggest that Heather is likely to receive anything from £50m to £100 million as her final settlement. |
| "In Heather and Sir Paul's negotiations, making sure that their child Beatrice is properly provided for will be a key consideration, as will ensuring that there is not a vast disparity between Heather's lifestyle and Paul's as viewed by Beatrice. | "In Heather and Sir Paul's negotiations, making sure that their child Beatrice is properly provided for will be a key consideration, as will ensuring that there is not a vast disparity between Heather's lifestyle and Paul's as viewed by Beatrice. |
| "The fact that this has been a short marriage will be taken into account and this could involve looking at the wealth that has been generated during the course of the marriage as distinct from pre-marital wealth." | "The fact that this has been a short marriage will be taken into account and this could involve looking at the wealth that has been generated during the course of the marriage as distinct from pre-marital wealth." |
| The hearing will take place behind closed doors, and any financial settlement will not be made public. | |