Friday, February 15, 2008

McCartney/Mills Divorce Settlement

It appears the nasty divorce settlement proceedings between Heather Mills and Paul McCartney are finally over. After two years of petty squabbling, the two have finally reached a settlement, according to several reputable news outlets. Heather will get $40 million in a lump sum up front, and an additional $5 million a year until the couple’s daughter Beatrice turns 18 in 14 years. As part of the deal, Mills agreed to never speak publicly or write in detail about the breakdown of the marriage, according to the Daily Mail. The accord came after Mills and McCartney had gone nose to nose in court for five days last week.

Mills will have main custody of Beatrice, but McCartney, whose fortune is estimated at $1.2 billion, will have equal visitation rights. Beatrice’s 65-year-old dad also agreed to set up a $2 million trust fund that she can access when she turns 18, according to the Daily Mail. Mills plans to live with Beatrice in Britain and either Poland or the Czech Republic, where she hopes to buy a home.

A source told the Daily Mail a verbal agreement was reached just before lunch. “They have a settlement,” a source said. “They have agreed on all points. Nothing much has changed this week. There was a deal at the beginning, but it was a complex one. There have been a few tweaks to the agreements, but those have been mostly changes Heather wanted made.” A hearing, perhaps the final one, is scheduled for Monday.