Statistics in 2012 reported that 42 per cent of all marriages in England and Wales end in divorce. Surprisingly though, divorce rates are apparently falling, from 10.1 per cent in 2012 to 8.5 per cent in 2015.
However, marriage breakdowns aren’t simply restricted to the 9–5 workers. With A-list celebs living their life in the spotlight, it’s likely they’ll feel the pressures of a relationship tenfold with the whole world watching. Disputes can get ugly with huge sums of money at stake and opinions from many people. In this article, we’ll take a look at well-known celebrity divorces and what they entailed.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Arguably one of the most surprising celebrity divorces of all time. When the two got together after meeting whilst filming Mr & Mrs Smith in 2004, it was a very controversial matter following Brad’s divorce with Jennifer Aniston. Two of the highest paid, most famous couples in Hollywood divorcing certainly grabbed the attention of headlines across the world.
Partners for 12 years, and with six children, the pair began their split in 2017. The divorce lasted a few years as the couple couldn’t come to an agreement on child custody and support. When couples with children divorce, an important issue that they must come to agreement on is custody. It’s important to figure out with family law solicitors what will be most beneficial to the children, as well as working around the parents’ everyday schedule.
There has been a recent surge in child custody battles at family court, with statistics showing that it has more than doubled over the last six years.
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan
The couple had been together since their initial meet in 2006. In 2018, after nine years of marriage, divorce was announced. The couple came to realise that their relationship wasn’t a suitable environment for themselves or their daughter and decided to split.
It’s common for many couples to believe that they should stay married for the sake of their child living in a nuclear, stable family. However, staying together purely for the children isn’t a happy environment for a child to grow up in. Children are particularly observant of their surroundings and notice dynamics between people, basing their future relationships off what they’ve viewed in their parents.
Jenna noted how this was a tough decision but was ultimately the right decision for their daughter.
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
Following life-changing news for Elin in 2009, it was revealed that Tiger had been involved in many infidelities over the years. Elin filed for divorce immediately after news sources revealed the cheating scandal. Elin was awarded $100 million in divorce settlements, allowing her to move on with her life.
The couple are amicable and in contact to support their children together, putting aside any resentment, an important decision to make after a separation.
As we aren’t all rich celebrities, it’s worth knowing about divorce settlements for the average person. In UK law, when divorcing, the court won’t be discriminative between the homemaker and breadwinner and will start at a 50/50 split of assets. Although uncommon, it’s possible in England and Wales that maintenance would be paid to the financially weaker partner. There will however be a limit on post-divorce payments as it is assumed that the partner will seek work eventually.
So, there we have some of the most popular celebrity divorces, and what happened. The issues raised in this article happen in divorces every day — it’s just important to seek legal advice to make sure the right decisions are made.
