Top 10 Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces in History

After 27 years of marriage and three children, the Gates announced their divorce in 2021. The split divided a $76 billion estate — though the exact terms remain private. Bill transferred over $6 billion in stocks to Melinda on the day of the announcement. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($67 billion endowment) continued operating jointly until Melinda resigned in 2024, receiving $12.5 billion for her own philanthropic work. Reports linked the divorce to Bill's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and a past affair with a Microsoft employee. The world's most powerful philanthropic partnership dissolved over trust, not money.

Filed in 2016. Still fighting in 2026. The Brangelina divorce is now in its tenth year of legal proceedings — primarily over Chateau Miraval, a $164 million French winery they co-owned. Jolie sold her 50% stake to a Stoli Group subsidiary; Pitt sued, claiming she needed his approval. The custody battle over their six children generated 1,500+ court filings. Legal fees are estimated at $10+ million per side. This isn't a divorce — it's a decade-long legal war of attrition between two of the most famous people on Earth, fought through proxy companies and sealed court documents.

Nicole Young filed in 2020 after 24 years of marriage, initially seeking $1.9 million per month in temporary support. The total estate was valued at $820 million (largely from the Beats by Dre sale to Apple). Dre argued a prenup limited the settlement; Nicole claimed she was coerced into signing it. The final settlement: approximately $100 million plus their Malibu home. Legal fees exceeded $6 million per side. The case revealed the staggering economics of music mogul wealth — and that even a $100 million divorce settlement is only 12% of the estate when headphones make you a billionaire.

Filed in 2021 after 7 years. Kanye's public meltdowns — Instagram rants about Pete Davidson, antisemitic comments, running for president — made it the most publicly chaotic celebrity divorce since... ever. Kim reportedly received $200,000 per month in child support plus their $60 million Hidden Hills mansion. The combined estate was estimated at $3.2 billion at filing (before Kanye lost $1.5 billion in brand deals). Kim's SKIMS continued to $4 billion valuation while Kanye's empire imploded. The divorce cost Kanye far more in brand value than in settlement checks.

Woods' 2009 Thanksgiving night car crash unraveled into the most explosive infidelity scandal in sports history — at least 14 women came forward. Elin reportedly chased him out of the house with a golf club. The divorce settlement: $110 million plus their $12 million Florida mansion. Tiger lost $22 million in endorsements (Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade, Tag Heuer dropped him within months). His reputation took a decade to rebuild. The $110 million was the sticker price; the endorsement losses doubled it. The most expensive Thanksgiving in sporting history.

After 8 years of marriage, Madonna and the British director split in 2008. The settlement was estimated between $76-92 million — making it one of the largest divorce payouts in UK history. Ritchie received their London pub, their Wiltshire country estate, and reportedly $76 million in cash and assets. Madonna kept their New York properties. The irony: Ritchie's career (Snatch, Lock Stock) was already successful, but the Madonna settlement made him richer than most of his films combined. Their custody battle over son Rocco played out in tabloids for years afterward.

Not technically about settlement size — the 2022 defamation trial was about $50 million in claims and $100 million in counterclaims. Depp won $10.35 million in damages; Heard won $2 million on her counterclaim. But the real cost was cultural: the trial was live-streamed to 3.5 billion views across platforms, making it the most-watched trial in history. Depp's career was resurrected; Heard's was destroyed. The case became a referendum on #MeToo, domestic abuse, and trial-by-TikTok. The lawyers billed an estimated $6 million per side. The internet billed nothing and delivered more damage than both legal teams combined.

Adele and Konecki divorced in 2021 after three years of marriage (together since 2011). The settlement was estimated at $170 million — roughly half of her fortune at the time. They had no prenup. She wrote the album 30 about the experience, which sold 10 million copies and generated $200+ million in revenue — essentially earning back her entire divorce settlement through art about the divorce. She then signed a $245 million Las Vegas residency. Adele is the only person in history who lost $170 million in a divorce and made it all back by singing about it. The ultimate power move.

Musk's first wife Justine received $2 million in cash, a Tesla Roadster, $80,000/month in child support, and $20,000/month in alimony in their 2008 divorce. It seemed generous at the time. Then Tesla went from near-bankruptcy to a $800 billion company. Justine later wrote that Musk told her "I am the alpha in this relationship" and that she felt like "a starter wife." Her blog post about the marriage went viral. If she'd gotten equity instead of cash, her share would be worth $10+ billion today. The most financially consequential "what if I'd asked for stock" in divorce history.

After 27 years of marriage and three children, the Gates announced their divorce in 2021. The split divided a $76 billion estate — though the exact terms remain private. Bill transferred over $6 billion in stocks to Melinda on the day of the announcement. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($67 billion endowment) continued operating jointly until Melinda resigned in 2024, receiving $12.5 billion for her own philanthropic work. Reports linked the divorce to Bill's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and a past affair with a Microsoft employee. The world's most powerful philanthropic partnership dissolved over trust, not money.

Filed in 2016. Still fighting in 2026. The Brangelina divorce is now in its tenth year of legal proceedings — primarily over Chateau Miraval, a $164 million French winery they co-owned. Jolie sold her 50% stake to a Stoli Group subsidiary; Pitt sued, claiming she needed his approval. The custody battle over their six children generated 1,500+ court filings. Legal fees are estimated at $10+ million per side. This isn't a divorce — it's a decade-long legal war of attrition between two of the most famous people on Earth, fought through proxy companies and sealed court documents.

Nicole Young filed in 2020 after 24 years of marriage, initially seeking $1.9 million per month in temporary support. The total estate was valued at $820 million (largely from the Beats by Dre sale to Apple). Dre argued a prenup limited the settlement; Nicole claimed she was coerced into signing it. The final settlement: approximately $100 million plus their Malibu home. Legal fees exceeded $6 million per side. The case revealed the staggering economics of music mogul wealth — and that even a $100 million divorce settlement is only 12% of the estate when headphones make you a billionaire.

Filed in 2021 after 7 years. Kanye's public meltdowns — Instagram rants about Pete Davidson, antisemitic comments, running for president — made it the most publicly chaotic celebrity divorce since... ever. Kim reportedly received $200,000 per month in child support plus their $60 million Hidden Hills mansion. The combined estate was estimated at $3.2 billion at filing (before Kanye lost $1.5 billion in brand deals). Kim's SKIMS continued to $4 billion valuation while Kanye's empire imploded. The divorce cost Kanye far more in brand value than in settlement checks.

Woods' 2009 Thanksgiving night car crash unraveled into the most explosive infidelity scandal in sports history — at least 14 women came forward. Elin reportedly chased him out of the house with a golf club. The divorce settlement: $110 million plus their $12 million Florida mansion. Tiger lost $22 million in endorsements (Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade, Tag Heuer dropped him within months). His reputation took a decade to rebuild. The $110 million was the sticker price; the endorsement losses doubled it. The most expensive Thanksgiving in sporting history.

After 8 years of marriage, Madonna and the British director split in 2008. The settlement was estimated between $76-92 million — making it one of the largest divorce payouts in UK history. Ritchie received their London pub, their Wiltshire country estate, and reportedly $76 million in cash and assets. Madonna kept their New York properties. The irony: Ritchie's career (Snatch, Lock Stock) was already successful, but the Madonna settlement made him richer than most of his films combined. Their custody battle over son Rocco played out in tabloids for years afterward.

Not technically about settlement size — the 2022 defamation trial was about $50 million in claims and $100 million in counterclaims. Depp won $10.35 million in damages; Heard won $2 million on her counterclaim. But the real cost was cultural: the trial was live-streamed to 3.5 billion views across platforms, making it the most-watched trial in history. Depp's career was resurrected; Heard's was destroyed. The case became a referendum on #MeToo, domestic abuse, and trial-by-TikTok. The lawyers billed an estimated $6 million per side. The internet billed nothing and delivered more damage than both legal teams combined.

Adele and Konecki divorced in 2021 after three years of marriage (together since 2011). The settlement was estimated at $170 million — roughly half of her fortune at the time. They had no prenup. She wrote the album 30 about the experience, which sold 10 million copies and generated $200+ million in revenue — essentially earning back her entire divorce settlement through art about the divorce. She then signed a $245 million Las Vegas residency. Adele is the only person in history who lost $170 million in a divorce and made it all back by singing about it. The ultimate power move.

Musk's first wife Justine received $2 million in cash, a Tesla Roadster, $80,000/month in child support, and $20,000/month in alimony in their 2008 divorce. It seemed generous at the time. Then Tesla went from near-bankruptcy to a $800 billion company. Justine later wrote that Musk told her "I am the alpha in this relationship" and that she felt like "a starter wife." Her blog post about the marriage went viral. If she'd gotten equity instead of cash, her share would be worth $10+ billion today. The most financially consequential "what if I'd asked for stock" in divorce history.