Coronavirus will spark rise in UK divorces after self-isolating couples are forced to spend months quarantined together, warns leading family lawyer Baroness Shackleton
- Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia's clients have included Sir Paul McCartney
- She has also represented the Prince of Wales, Madonna and Liam Gallagher
- Warned that couples were likely to divorce as many go into voluntary lockdown
A high-profile celebrity divorce lawyer has warned coronavirus is 'very likely' to lead to an increase in marriage break-ups as couples are confined together for long periods in self-isolation.
Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, nicknamed the 'Steel Magnolia' for her skills and charm, has represented clients including Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone, the Prince of Wales, Madonna and Liam Gallagher.
Most recently, Baroness Shackleton represented Princess Haya in her acrimonious divorce proceedings with her estranged husband, Sheikh Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
Baroness Shackleton also represented Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce to Heather Mills - who famously threw a jug of water over the lawyer in court after she was granted some £24million in the break-up.
She revealed the view of the profession as a growing number of households go into voluntary lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of infection.
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Baroness Fiona Shackleton (right), leaving the Royal Courts of Justice in London with her most recent high-profile client in February, Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein of Jordan
![Paul McCartney and his lawyer Fiona Shackleton at the High Court in central London in 2008](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/18/07/26108030-8124841-image-a-33_1584516126708.jpg)
Paul McCartney and his lawyer Fiona Shackleton at the High Court in central London in 2008
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Baroness Shackleton told Peers at Westminster: 'Our peak times are after long exposure during the summer holidays and over Christmas.
'One only has to imagine what it's going to be like when families are sealed in a property for a long period of time.'
Official health advice states that if one person in a property has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there should stay at home for 14 days.
The Conservative peer made her comments in the House of Lords during the second reading of the Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill.
The legislation would enable the implementation of international rules used to deal with cross-border legal disputes, including family law, post-Brexit.
Baroness Shackleton added: 'The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise.'
However, Lady Shackleton raised concerns over the lack of provision relating to divorce.
She said: 'When we leave the EU there will be an enormous vacuum and there has been no direction to the judges or the people who practice in this area as to what is going to happen.'
![Baroness Shackleton with Liam Gallagher, who she represented during his legal battle with his ex-wife, All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, at the Central Family Court in London in 2015](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/18/07/26108028-8124841-image-a-35_1584516158055.jpg)
Baroness Shackleton with Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, who she represented during his legal battle with his ex-wife, All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, at the Central Family Court in London in 2015
![The Conservative peer pictured in May 2018 at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/18/07/26107846-8124841-The_Conservative_peer_pictured_in_May_2018_at_the_Duke_and_Duche-a-26_1584515479854.jpg)
![Baroness Shackleton outside the family court in London while representing Petra Ecclestone in her divorce with James Stunt](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/18/07/26107844-8124841-Baroness_Shackleton_outside_the_family_court_in_London_while_rep-m-25_1584515468438.jpg)
The Conservative peer (pictured left in May 2018 at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding and right, outside the family court in London while representing Petra Ecclestone in her divorce with James Stunt), made her comments in the House of Lords during the second reading of the Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill
The Bill received its second reading and now goes for line-by-line scrutiny.
This comes after register offices revealed divorce rates in China have risen significantly during coronavirus self-isolation.
More than 300 couples have scheduled appointments to get a divorce since February 24, said Lu Shijun, the manager of a marriage registry in Dazhou, Sichuan Province of south-western China.
Officials believe the sharp increase of divorce requests could be caused by the fact that partners have spent too much time in close quarters under quarantine.
'The divorce rate [in the district] has soared compared to before [the coronavirus outbreak],' Mr Lu told the local press.
'Young people are spending a lot of time at home. They tend to get into heated arguments because of something petty and rush into getting a divorce,' Mr Lu explained.
Another factor could be a result of delayed applications due to the council offices closing for nearly a month during the coronavirus epidemic.
![Baroness Shackleton added: 'The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise.' (File photo)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/18/07/26107944-8124841-image-a-29_1584515829656.jpg)
Baroness Shackleton added: 'The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise.' (File photo)
Cities around China ordered their citizens to self-isolate for over a month to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
On Tuesday officials recorded the biggest daily spike in UK cases yet, with 407 patients diagnosed in the past 24 hours – meaning 1,950 Britons have now caught the life-threatening virus that has left the UK engulfed in fear.
It comes after the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, today admitted there are likely to be around 55,000 cases of coronavirus currently in the UK, calling the staggering figure a 'reasonable ballpark'.
The estimate was based on a model of one death per 1,000 patients, which means the true number of infected people could now be as high as 70,000 – and many people could have no idea they've got the illness. A study published in a scientific journal this week suggested that 86 per cent of infected patients in China were unaware.
Last week the government estimated the number of cases was likely to be between 5,000 and 10,000 but the numbers are expected to have soared since. A total of 50,442 people have now been tested, with 48,492 of those tests coming back negative.
The massive difference between officials' on-record estimates and the number of cases confirmed by the Department of Health is likely to prompt further scrutiny of the government's testing regime – the World Health Organization urged countries worldwide to 'test, test, test' but in the UK only hospital patients are being tested.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday stepped up the country's response to the outbreak and urged people not to go out or to visit others unless they had to. He had been warned that the original strategy of trying to slow down an outbreak could lead to 260,000 people dying – new efforts could cut this to below 20,000.
It came as the government stepped up its efforts to persuade manufacturing companies to help build ventilators for the NHS amid concerns about how long it could take to get production lines up and running.
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