Paul McCartney And Heather Mills Call It Quits

Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills-McCartney have decided to separate because they've found it increasingly difficult to maintain a normal relationship in the glare of the public eye.

"Having tried exceptionally hard to make our relationship work given the daily pressures surrounding us, it is with sadness that we have decided to go our separate ways," they said in a joint statement. "Our parting is amicable and both of us still care about each other very much but have found it increasingly difficult to maintain a normal relationship with constant intrusion into our private lives, and we have actively tried to protect the privacy of our child."

They met at a charity event in 1999, a year after McCartney's longtime wife Linda died from cancer. They got engaged in 2001 and were married a year later at a remote countryside castle in Ireland.

Mills gave birth to the couple's only child together, Beatrice Milly, who's now two.

"Separation for any couple is difficult enough, but to have to go through this so publicly, especially with a small daughter is immensely stressful," said the couple's statement.

"We hope, for the sake of our baby daughter, that we will be given some space and time to get through this difficult period."

The former Beatles and Wings member has three children from his marriage to Linda — musician James, photographer Mary and fashion designer Stella. He also has a stepdaughter named Heather from Linda's first marriage.

McCartney, Britain's wealthiest musician, will now have to deal with the reality that his estimated £800 million ($1.67 billion Canadian) fortune could shrink considerably. Divorce lawyer Alan Kaufman told Britain's Guardian newspaper that he wouldn't be surprised if Mills walked away with £200 million ($419 million Canadian).

"This will be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, divorce cases to hit the English courts, if it gets that far. In recent cases wives have got more and more and have ended up with massive settlements."

Mills has revealed in the past that she offered to sign a prenuptial agreement before marrying McCartney as a way to prove to him that she loved him, but said he turned her down.

Despite being plagued by reports that their marriage has been on the rocks, the couple had continued to appear together at public engagements, mostly in connection with their animal rights campaigning. They were in Canada in March to protest the annual seal hunt.