Sir Paul McCartney and Lady Heather Mills McCartney
© AFP/Getty Images/File Frazer Harrison
London, Mar 11 (ANI): The bitter divorce battle between former Beatles singer Sir Paul McCartney and estranged wife Heather Mills might soon be over, for she has reportedly agreed to accept a 29 million pounds cash and property settlement.
Sources close to Macca revealed that the singer’s camp were expecting the divorce to be concluded soon, after Mills decided to capitulate on a number or issues, including the amount she would be getting, and custody over the couple’s daughter Beatrice.
"It's amazing how quickly things have turned around. Heather has caved in on lots of things — including the money demands and sole custody of daughter Beatrice — and we now expect her to settle," the News of the World quoted an insider, as saying.
"Heather's completely changed her stance. Only recently Paul's team were worried she might have upped the stakes by threatening to leave England, taking Beatrice with her," another insider said.
"It didn't happen but it would have driven Paul to the brink. He doesn't care where Heather ends up but he is devoted to caring for Beatrice and couldn't bear the thought of not being able to see her.
"Being realistic it could still take weeks to finally thrash out a deal but they're on the right path and now they're talking the same language. And if negotiations keep going this well it could be even sooner."
However, Mills has told a close friend that the animal rights activist was not about to sign a ‘gagging clause’ that would see her keep quiet about her allegations of domestic abuse at the hands of Macca.
"I will NOT sign a gagging clause because I want people to know the truth," the friend quoted her, as saying.
Mills, who was demanding 3.4 million pounds a year as part of her divorce settlement, has now agreed to settle for a bit less.
However, she is likely to get one of Macca's homes, most probably his 4 million pounds luxury Georgian house in St John's Wood, London.
And Mills’ camp insists that the reason why Macca is eager to settle is because he doesn’t want the case to go to court.
"He won't let it go to court, that's for sure. Heather has independent witnesses to support her claims, medical evidence and tapes in which he states his intentions very clearly. Why would Paul want that discussed in court and have to live with that stigma for the rest of his life?" a pal of Mills said.
"Maybe it's getting closer to a settlement but what's clear is there's a very nasty and evil campaign going on here. What McCartney has done is categorically deny the wife-beating, saying it's disgraceful and disgusting, then settle so she won't have a chance to show the evidence to back up what she said.
"I know that Paul's worn her down and she got completely fed up with the whole thing. But he'll never keep her quiet," the pal insisted. (ANI)