United kingdom Daily news: Most expensive divorce settlements of all time: The top 10

Most expensive divorce settlements of all time: The top 10

By This Is Money Reporter

PUBLISHED: 08:56 EST, 6 July 2012 | UPDATED: 10:50 EST, 6 July 2012

Katie Holmes stands to receive a pretty penny when she divorces Mr Mission Impossible Tom Cruise. But, thanks to a reported prenup, it's likely to be peanuts in comparison to some of the greatest settlements of all time. Here are the top ten...

In happier times: Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise at this year's Vanity Fair Oscar Party

1: Rupert and Anna Murdoch: $1.7 billion

The dubious title of most expensive divorce of all time goes to (drum rollâ€¦) Rupert and Anna Murdoch.

The Australian media mogul and his former wife were married for 32 years and had three children together, before splitting in 1999. $1.7 billion of Murdochâ€™s fortune went to Anna.

Just 17 days later, Rupert married his current and third wife Chinese-American businesswoman Wendi Deng, 38 years his junior.

Before the most expensive divorce of all time: Rupert Murdoch with wife Anna in 1969

2: Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi: $850 million

When the marriage of Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi and his wife Soraya broke down, she sued him for $2.54 billion, at the time the largest sum asked for in a divorce settlement.

While she didnâ€™t get near that amount, Soraya walked away with an estimated $874 million in an out-of-court settlement, not exactly shabby.

Adnan made his money buying and selling arms for the Saudi royal family, always a well-compensated endeavour.

Once heâ€™d made a fair bit he took the proceeds and started his own company Triad, which is based in tax exempt Switzerland. It owns banks, hotels and real estate around the world and at the time Adnan was thought to be the worldâ€™s richest man. He isnâ€™t any more though.

Soraya is an Englishwoman born Sandra, who converted to Islam. In 1998 it was revealed that the father of Soyayaâ€™s daughter Petra was not Adnan, as she had been told all along, but ratherâ€¦ disgraced ex-MP Jonathan Aitken.

3: Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone: Â£750 million

It took just 58 seconds for a court to end the 24-year marriage of pint-sized Formula 1 tycoon Bernie and his model wife Slavica on the grounds of his 'unreasonable behaviour'. The final estimate in 2009 was thought to be around Â£750 million.

Together for 24 years: Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone

4: Craig and Wendy McCaw: in excess of $460 million

A killer whale was one of the luckiest beneficiaries of the divorce between Craig and Wendy McCaw.

The pair built a telecom empire together, but eventually divorced in 1995 after 21 years of marriage. They met as students at Stanford University â€" she was his tutor. A year after Craig graduated in 1974, they married.

They started a cable TV company together, which they sold for $755 million, and then built and sold a cellphone empire to ATT for $12 billion.

Wendyâ€™s share was $460 million, which she used in part to help return the killer whale Keiko, the star of the movie Free Willy, back to the wild.

5: Mel and Robyn Gibson: $425 million

When Mel Gibson and his wife of 26 years separated in 2009, the Lethal Weapon actor reportedly handed her half of his estimated $850 million fortune.

Robyn â€" who has returned to her maiden name Moore â€ " was entitled to half of his assets under California state law, as the pair did not sign a prenuptial agreement.

6: Michael and Juanita Jordan: in excess of $260 million

Basketball star Michael Jordan and his wife of 17 years divorced in 2007, citing irreconcilable differences. They agreed to a settlement of $168 million. Juanita had filed for divorce in 2002, but they managed to patch it up a month later. No such luck second time round.

Chicago Bulls' star Michael Jordan and his wife Juanita

7: Charles Edgar and Marlene Fipke: $200 million

A Canadian couple comes in at number seven in the divorce hall of fame. Charles Edgar Fipke and his wife Marlene had been together since Charles started searching for diamonds in the 1970s.

When he found diamonds in Canadaâ€™s Northwest Territories, it made him one of Canadaâ€™s richest people. When they divorced in 2000, Marlene got $200 million, including a 20 per cent share of the mine.

8: Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey: $150 million

When singer-songwriter split up with his wife of 25 years, she ended up with half of his $300 million fortune. Marcia Murphey, a television production assistant, had married Diamond in 1969 before he had made the big time.

After the divorce, Diamond reportedly said Murphey was â€˜worth every pennyâ€™.

9: Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison: $118 million

Harrison Ford met screenwriter Melissa Mathison on the set of 197 9 film Apocalypse Now. Their marriage last 18 years before they separated in August 2001, reportedly costing $118 million.

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison in 1998

10: Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy: $103 million

When Australian golfer Greg Norman split with his wife Laura Andrassy after 25 years of marriage, he settled for $103 million.

But he didn't give up on marriage, getting hitched to number one ranked womens tennis player Chris Evert â€" staying together for 15 months â€" and then marrying interior designer Kirsten Kutner. Â