The 10 richest divorcees in the UK

Divorce is an ugly business. But if you are separating from the super wealthy there are some consolations. We have trawled the Sunday Times Rich List to find the ten people who have made the most money from divorce.

1. Slavica Ecclestone, £734 million

Divorce from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has made Slavica the richest divorcee on our list. When she met Bernie on the F1 social circuit she was already a successful model, and they married in 1985. Her daughters have commended her for being thrifty – she even makes her own jam – but with this much money she probably won’t have to stray from a life of jet-setting and exclusive hotels.

 2. Irina Abramovich, £130 million

After splitting from business tycoon Roman Abramovich in 2007, their divorce settlement granted her a reported £155m. The former flight attendant also received a yacht, and the Fyning Hill estate in West Sussex, equipped with a go-kart track and rifle range. Although her fortune is down £25m this year, she still occupies the 406th spot on the Sunday Times Rich List.

 3. Pamela Morgan Bell, £80 million

Morgan Bell is thought to have sold the stake she received in her ex-husband’s company as part of their divorce settlement. She no longer appears to be a significant shareholder in Redrow, the Welsh housebuilder started by Steve Morgan. However, together with other assets, she is now worth at least £80m.

4. Patricia Kluge, £80 million

Kluge has wisely invested the money she received from divorcing businessman John Kluge in 1991. At 60, her investments include property and a 2,000-acre wine estate in Virginia, part of which she has recently allotted to 24 expensive homes.

5. Guy Ritchie, £50 million

The former Mr Madonna vowed not to take a penny of his ex-wife’s wealth in their divorce (already having accumulated his own fortune from his films), but Ritchie received somewhere between £30m-£50m from the material girl last year, making him the only male divorcee to break into our top ten.

6. Linda Ashley, £50 million

In 2003 when she divorced Mike Ashley, the sportswear millionaire and football club owner, she received £50m in the settlement. Now living in North London, the Swedish-born mother of three manages various property-linked business interests.

 7. Beverley Charman, £48 million

Although her millionaire ex-husband John Charman resisted giving her £48m in their divorce settlement, she has retained that fortune and sits at 1,152 on the Rich List this year. Charman’s ex-husband has argued that the “housewife” from Kent only deserved half that amount.

8. Alisa Marks, £40 million

The former fashion journalist and ex-wife of Stephen Marks, of French Connection, gained a cool £40m – and their London residence – from their divorce settlement. Marks was forced to sell some of his stake in the company, which he founded more than 30 years ago, to finance the outcome.

 9. Sally Croker-Poole, £40 million

When she married spiritual leader Aga Khan in 1969, the former model became Princess Salimah and converted to Islam. After 25 years of marriage, she received a multi-million pound settlement, which she added to by selling £17m worth of jewellery in 1995. Among the sale was the Begum Blue, a 13.78-carat heart-shaped blue diamond. Crocker-Poole now dedicates her time to helping underprivileged children worldwide.

10. Lady Sandra Sorrell, £30 million

A £3.25m Georgian townhouse, £2m in bank deposits and two parking spots at Harrods topped off the £23m cash payout Sorrell received from her divorce settlement. After 33 years of marriage to Sir Martin Sorrell, she cited his obsession with work as one of the reasons for their split. She is a former chairwoman of Special Olympics Great Britain.

By Vanessa Kortekaas

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Comments

[Steve]

Unbelievable! Good trivial information!

[Mr B]

Divorce settlements are an equitable division of the assets of the marriage.

Divorce made none of these people richer or poorer.

[Jeff]

MR B - are you saying a woman without the mental capacity to generate their wealth suddenly deserves the millions thrust upon her after marriage? Why should the housewife of a millionaire be worth more than the housewife of a street cleaner?

[Gene]

You mean "the ten biggest parasites" of all time

[Richard]

There's one born every minute.

[pia]

Because, Jeff, she probably gave up her 'career' to be with the man and give birth to his children. I don't think that means she is entitled to millions but it does mean that she ought to be given a very decent amount of support until she can get back on track again.

Guy Ritchie has no excuse, however.

[Rob]

There is only one time, Pia, the couple's children will ever be referred to as his children, when she wants money. For the rest of her life they will only ever be her children. This list is a good example of what gender equality actually means in the West.

[Mark]

Let's get the gender equity business off the table, please. Guy Ritchie did alright divorcing Madge, after all.

[mary]

divrce is very sinful . what would jesus say??

[Oliver Spensley]

What exactly are you trying to achieve with this article? Was it worth it for assisting in highlighting possible single women who live alone with a lot of money, making them obvious targets for robbery or worse? Inconsiderate article at best, brainless, lazy journalism more likely.

[John]

The Times Rich List was spawned by the monetarist politics of the 80s, and the consequent cultural shift in perceptions of the value of wealth. From being an embarrassment, almost a sin, possession of vast amounts of money turned absurdly into the only virtue, the unique measure of a person´s worth.

Now that the system has imploded, and unemployment and misery are the likely lot of the upcoming generation, is it not démodé, not to say outrageous, that this sort of wealth should continue to be celebrated? Truly, it is the sign of an utterly decadent and valueless society.

[Dsoul]

I would just like to know one thing: those women who get married to some rich dude who then end up divocring the guy, do they still recall what happened to Anna Nicole Smith?

[Simon]

Spot on Rob

[joy butler]

I think some of these women should be ashamed of themselves. They are behaving like a bunch of cortesans, they just have to get their hands on the money come what may.

[Jeremy Jacobs]

Alisa Marks number please