McCartney and Mills divorce hearing begins

Sir Paul McCartney and his estranged wife, Heather Mills, are in the High Court in London today for a hearing to reach a financial settlement for their divorce.

Having fallen out with her legal representatives at Mishcon de Reya, Mills is representing herself and is likely to cross-examine McCartney personally during the week-long hearing. In the Family Division hearing before Mr Justice Bennett, McCartney is being represented by family barrister Nicholas Mostyn QC.

The case may result in the largest divorce settlement in British legal history as Mills is believed to be asking for up to £50 million from McCartney. If successful the settlement would exceed the record £48 million awarded last May in the Charman case.

McCartney is estimated to be worth £825 million, but the court will take into account the fact that he earned most of his fortune before he married Mills.

The former couple, who married in 2002, will also be negotiating issues involving the upbringing of their three-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

The hearing comes the day after the former Beatle failed to win any of the three Grammys he was nominated for at the 50th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.