But she believed it was a 'fawlty' marraige.

she was accustomed to "being entertained by royalty and dignitaries in castles" ---- Only because she was married to him, otherwise she would have never been allowed to set foot in those castles.

There is no way I could ever believe what you claim, all women are guilty unless you are a misogynist.

She claims she deserves the money b/c she needs to maintain the lifestyle that John was nice enough to introduce her to. No children!? How on earth did this judge rationalize this settlement?! As a female, I'm disgusted to see another woman rape a hard working man for WAY more than she deserves. This is definitely a strike for the fairer sex....

I agree, I don't think that she should get that much money because you don't have children with her but u were together 16 yrs. She doesn't need that much money or the homes.

Geez, how does this women figure she is entitled to so much?? Especially income from his monty python days!! She didn't even know him when he made that series/movies!! Gold digging witch, pay her the amount of savings and income she would have made while they were married if she had gotten off her ass and worked for it! This is the type of women that makes us all look bad!

Unfortunately we will not be privvy to all of the details of their marriage, but it amazes me that just because Cleese said she didn't contribute anything to the marriage that it is assumed she didn't. Also, they were married 16 years. That's a long time when most mercenary women would have popped out a child and headed for divorce court in less than 5 years (ala the ex-Mrs. McCartney). We also have no idea what Cleese did to cause the divorce anymore than we know what his wife did. They divorced, the judge reviewed what went on, and made his decision accordingly. She can claim she's used to the high life all she wants - that's not where the ruling came from. There's more to it that Cleese isn't letting on. He's also into serial marriage. This is his 5th wife. I think he has issues in marriage and he paid this time. Oh Well.

There are a lot of really good women out there, you sound like one of them, God Bless...
Funny how he still keeps his sens eof humor, Jon

This is why I love the USA so much. Our laws are by far the fairest and the best. For example, a poor woman marries a rich man for his money. She divorces him and she's rich and then he's poor. It's what we call "spreading the wealth" and once we get medicine socialized, I'm hoping to get the goof ball sized B-9 mole on my 4-head chopped off, and my wrinkled faced wife's prune face lifted. Yep, my bald head is a symbol of our freedoms. I bowled a 297 with it last night in league play!!!Thank God I'm American.

This was a settlement, not a judgment after a trial. You have to agree to a settlement; you take a settlement rather than go to trial. If he's unhappy with the deal, why did he agree? Obviously because his lawyers told him he'd get killed on a trial. So now he bellyaches. He should talk to his lawyers, and they will tell him again why he had to take the settlement.

He needs to buy toxic assets worth $13 MILLION from a bank for about $5 MILLION and give those to her.

It is unfortunate that men of such high prestige and class must tolerate such appaling standards in regards to relationships. It just shows even in the grandest of castles, there is always a trash can. I'm sure he's fired all of his attorneys and might even be having a friend of a friend of a cousin's ex co-worker secretly planning something with a guy probably known on the streets as "Muscle".... Fugheddaboudit.

just proves , if having kids is questionable or not in your future , it is better to co-habitat at best and "NOT" marry.......or make sure you get that pre-nup agreement.....i'd say live and love , why get married especially if you have money and exposure

Poor Basil. (literaly)

Can someone please explain this to me. Why is it that in so many divorce cases, the women claim that they were use to a certain lifestyle, and that they are entitiled to continue living like that.
But the man who's life has changed, due to the fact that 99% of the time he looses the home, the kids, and has to adjust to a new lifestyle with less money and more expenses, hence, he has to move into a new home, but it is okay for him to adjust to getting less in life, but the wife is entitled to the same lifestyle. Really unfair system.Laws should be changed.