Thaindian News

London, Nov 21 (DPA) The end of the seven-year marriage between US pop star Madonna and her British film director husband Guy Ritchie is to be sealed before the High Court in London Friday, it has been announced.A listing published by the High Court Thursday showed that the celebrity couple are scheduled for a “quickie” divorce procedure with a decree nisi due to be announced at 1000 GMT Friday.

The case is listed under Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S, and will be heard before a judge in the High Court’s Family Division.

Neither Madonna, 50, who is currently in the United States on her Sticky and Sweet tour, nor her 40-year-old husband, were expected to attend the proceedings.

The couple announced Oct 15 they were splitting, ending months of speculation.

High-profile lawyers employed by both sides had been working “round the clock” to hammer out a settlement and custody arrangements for their three children.

According to the Evening Standard newspaper Thursday, Ritchie had refused to take a penny of Madonna’s fortune of an estimated 300 million pounds ($480 million) and she would keep “the bulk” of her wealth.

Ritchie’s fortune is estimated at 25 million pounds.

The Standard said that the couple’s two boys, eight-year-old Rocco and David Banda, a three-year-old Malawian boy they adopted in 2006, would divide their time between Britain and the US.

Meanwhile, 12 year-old Lourdes, Madonna’s daughter from a previous relationship, would remain with the pop diva who will make New York her principal home.