The weddings had the trappings of a fairy tale, right down to the castle backdrop, but there was no "happily ever after" for the once-beaming brides and grooms.

Instead, the multimillion-dollar divorce settlements of pop star Madonna and director Guy Ritchie, along with former Beatle Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, grabbed the headlines this year. Other major breakups with millions — or billions — at stake are looming, whether they involve the owners of the San Diego Padres baseball club or Formula One motor racing.

Canadian country superstar Shania Twain also split from her producer husband Robert (Mutt) Lange this year, but there is no public word on any divorce or settlement.

In fact, there hasn't been a lot of public attention paid to significant divorce settlements in Canada for years. One split that did draw headlines in 2000 involved billionaire British Columbia diamond-mining mogul Charles Fipke, whose divorce settlement called for him to hand over shares worth an estimated $123 million to his wife, Marlene.

Generally, the big divorce settlements in Canada are reached behind closed doors through mediation and arbitration rather than in an open courtroom. And then no one talks about them publicly.

"The really large cases are settled quietly and privately," says Phil Epstein, a professor of family law at the University of Toronto and a senior partner at Epstein Cole, Canada's largest family law practice.

"People for the most part don't want to flaunt their wealth."

While there have been Canadian court judgments for settlements in the $8-million or $9-million range, Epstein says "they're the tip of the iceberg."

Here's a look at some high-profile couples who were divorced or announced their separation this year, along with a few others who said "I do."

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Going their separate ways

British director Guy Ritchie, left, and his wife Madonna arrive for the world premiere of his film Rock n Rolla in London on Sept. 1, 2008. (Sany Tan/Associated Press)

Madonna and Guy Ritchie

Marriage: December 2000, at Skibo Castle in the Scottish highlands. Madonna's dress was designed by Stella McCartney, daughter of former Beatle Paul McCartney, who himself had a costly, high-profile divorce in 2008.

Settlement: When the settlement was first reported this week, Madonna's spokeswoman described it in range of £50 million to £60 million (about $94 million to $113 million), including the value of the couple's country home in England and their West London pub. Two days later, the couple said that report was inaccurate, and that the amount would remain confidential, although some media reports suggested it was between £39 million and £46 million. Custodial arrangements still have to be worked out for the couple's eight-year-old son, Rocco, and three-year-old son, David, adopted from Malawi in 2006.

One more thing: Rumours of trouble in the marriage arose earlier this year, and Madonna was romantically linked to New York Yankees player Alex Rodriguez, whose own marriage dissolved.

Legal notes: Madonna was represented by lawyer Fiona Shackleton, who also represented Paul McCartney, Prince Andrew and Prince Charles in their divorce proceedings. Ritchie was represented by lawyer Helen Ward, who landed the largest-ever divorce settlement in Britain when Beverly Charman was awarded $96 million in her 2006 divorce from John Charman, an insurance tycoon.

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Heather Mills and Paul McCartney

Marriage: Mills, an activist and former model, married the former Beatle in June 2002 at Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland. They separated in 2006, at first saying it was amicable. The split turned acrimonious and became what was described in media reports as one of nastiest and most vengeful divorces in recent history.

Settlement: A judge in London, England, ordered in March 2008 that McCartney pay Mills $48.6 million in their divorce. The judge's award included a lump sum of $33 million, along with $15.6 million in assets she already held.

One more thing: Legal experts had predicted that the settlement could set a record for the highest ever awarded by a British divorce court, which would have meant surpassing the $96 million John Charman was ordered to pay in 2006.

Legal notes: Mills was initially represented by Anthony Julius, who represented Diana, Princess of Wales, in her divorce from Prince Charles. Mills and Julius parted ways, and she represented herself in court. During the case's final day in court, Mills dumped a jug of water on Fiona Shackleton, McCartney's lawyer.

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Shania Twain and Robert (Mutt) Lange

Marriage: The Canadian country singer and her music-producer husband married in December 1993, only six months after meeting.

Separation: The singer's spokesman announced in May 2008 the couple was separating.

One more thing: The couple had been based in Switzerland with their son, Eja.

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Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone

Marriage: The British motor racing tycoon and his wife, a former Croatian model, married 24 years ago. They have been frequent fodder for the media, drawing attention for the differences in their age and height: he is 28 years older and 10 inches shorter than she is.

Separation:Their split was announced on Nov. 20, 2008, although media reports suggest Slavica hired a divorce lawyer before she told her husband.

One more thing: The Sunday Times in London estimated the worth of Ecclestone, who is chief executive of Alpha Prema, which owns Formula One racing, at more than $3.5 billion. But much of that wealth is reportedly held in an offshore family trust controlled by Slavica, and legal experts say he could face an unprecedented battle over his rights to it, media reports said.

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Couples joining forces

Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni Sarkozy attend a formal dinner in Paris on July 13, 2008. (Thibault Camus/Associated Press)

Marriage: Four months after meeting, the French president and former supermodel married in Paris in February 2008. Sarkozy became the first French president to marry while in office.

Before the wedding: The presidential romance, coming soon after Sarkozy's second divorce, set off a media storm in a country where little was traditionally said publicly about the private lives of the residents of the Elysée Palace.

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Ben Mulroney and Jessica Brownstein

Marriage: The TV host and son of former prime minister Brian Mulroney and Brownstein, a Montreal fashion designer, were married in Montreal in October 2008.

Before the wedding: The bride and groom had known each other since they were children growing up in Montreal's Westmount neighbourhood. Mulroney proposed to Brownstein over lunch in 2007 at a Green Avenue deli, after they had been dating about six months.

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Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson

Marriage: The Canadian actor and the American actress tied the knot in a remote wilderness lodge outside Vancouver in September 2008.

Before the wedding: Johansson started dating Reynolds last year, shortly after his split from Canadian singer Alanis Morissette.