McCartney, Mills Blame Breakup on Media

May 18, 2006 — -- Paul McCartney and Heather Mills blame their separation on the media, and insist their breakup -- which could be one of the most expensive breakups of all time -- is amicable.

"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," a statement from the couple said. "Our parting is amicable and both of us still care about each other very much."

The couple married in 2002, four years after the death of McCartney's first wife, Linda.

"We were spending 24 hours a day, seven days a week explaining and having to justify ourselves to the British tabloids," Mills previously told ABC's "20/20."

McCartney, 63, and Mills, 38, welcomed daughter Beatrice into the world in October 2003.

"Separation for any couple is difficult enough, but to have to go through this so publicly, especially with a small daughter, is immensely stressful," the couple wrote in their 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."

But the media is already buzzing with speculation about the divorce settlement. With no prenuptial agreement, analysts estimate Mills could get between $350 million and $750 million of McCartney's $1.5 billion fortune.

"To figure out what she's entitled to is not as simple of saying, what did he make during the four years of the marriage?" said attorney Raoul Felder.

If the separation leads to a divorce settlement, it could surpass the divorces of Rupert Murdoch, Harrison Ford, and Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as one of the biggest settlements of all time.

ABC's Lama Hasan reported this story for "Good Morning America."