As settlements increase in size, so expectations inflate accordingly. As a cautionary guide to wealthier readers we list below twenty of the most impressive demands we have seen. We would note that many of these claims were later negotiated to lower figures and that all too frequently the final figure is, disappointingly, never disclosed.

1» £1 billion Sumner Redstone, head of media company Viacom, and Phyllis, 2002 (more)

2» £690m: David & Zoe Rowland (Property & investments) 2006 (more )

3» £500m: The Aga Khan, spiritual and general leader of the Ismaili Nizari Muslims & Princess Begum Inaara, 2004 (more)

4» £500m: Contruction magnate Shwan & Suzan Al-Mulla (more)

5» £500m Adnan Khashoggi, former arms dealer, and Soraya, 1982 (more)

6» £300m: Chief Oladeinde Fernandez, the Central African Republic’s Ambassador to the United Nations & Aduke Fernandez 2007 (more )

7» £250m Paloma Picasso, perfume prodigy, and Rafael Lopez-Cambil, 1999 (more)

8» £135m Michael Jordan, basketball player, and Juanita, 2003 (more)

9» £100m Jack Welch of General Electric and Jane, 2003 (more)

10» £70m Steven Spielberg, film director, and Amy Irving, 1989 (more)

11» £64m John & Beverly Charman (Lloyd’s insurance market) (more)

12» £50m Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison Ford 2006 (more)

13» £30m The Aga Khan (see above) and Sally Croker-Poole, 1995 (more)

14» £30m Advertising tycoon Sir Martin & Sandra Sorrell 2007 (more)

15» £26m Abdullah Masry & Mona al-Khatib 2002 (more)

16» £25m Phil Collins, the jazz drummer, and Jill, 1994 (more)

17» £20m Michael Crichton, creator of Jurassic Park and ER, & Anne-Marie Martin Crichton (more)

18» £17.5m Prince and Princess of Wales, 1996 (more)

19» £10.5m Terence Conran , designer, and Caroline, 1996 (more)

20» £10m Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, 1999 (more)

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and with more high-profile cases like the McCartney-Mills proceedings due later this year records can only continue to tumble. Having reviewed the possible ramifications of divorce, gritting your teeth and staying together looks like a piece of cake .

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