Petra Ecclestone arrived at the High Court today for the latest round of her legal battle with ex-husband James Stunt following their £5.5billion divorce.
The 29-year-old was supported in London this morning by her sister Tamara, who had earlier told her on Instagram: ‘Hey little fighter, soon things will be brighter.’
Petra has been embroiled in a messy divorce battle with her ex-husband Mr Stunt, which is claimed to have been one of the most expensive in British legal history.
Petra Ecclestone (left) is supported by her sister Tamara (right) at the High Court this morning
Petra, who shares three children with Mr Stunt, enters the court with Tamara this morning
Petra (left) is now locked in the final stages of her split and has won praise from Tamara (right)
Petra (left) and Mr Stunt (right) have vowed to be ‘firm friends’ despite their differences
But Petra, 29, is now locked in the final stages of her split and has won praise from her older sister Tamara, 33, who posted a tribute to her little sister on Instagram.
Mother-of-one Tamara made reference to Petra, saying: ‘You may be my little sister, but you have shown unimaginable strength, dignity and composure. Proud of you.’
Petra, who shares three children – sons Andrew and James and daughter Lavinia – with her ex-husband, divorced Mr Stunt last October.
But her sister Tamara, who lives in a £70million home in Kensington, West London, has been a constant support to her throughout the difficult proceedings.
Tamara won praise for the Instagram post, who admired how ‘supportive’ the Formula One heiress had been towards her sister, with one saying: ‘Beautiful words.’
Show of support: Tamara had accompanied her tribute on Instagram with a poignant quote that read: ‘Hey little fighter, soon things will be brighter’
James Stunt smokes outside the High Court today, still wearing his wedding ring (right)
Bernie Ecclestone, father of Petra and Tamara, is also at the High Court in London today
The warring former couple of Petra and Mr Stunt had been back and forth to court for 12 months while they geared up for the £5.5billion divorce battle.
But when their legal teams came before a judge in October, it emerged lawyers had agreed what is believed to be one of Britain’s biggest ever divorce settlements.
The out-of-court settlement meant a two-day public hearing to decide who should get what after their split was avoided.
Petra and Mr Stunt had been expected to fight over their £158million mansion in Los Angeles and a Grade II-listed home in London’s Chelsea, worth up to £100million.
Petra (left), 29, arrives at the court with a hot drink alongside her older sister Tamara (right), 33
Petra and Mr Stunt had been expected to fight over their mansions in Los Angeles and London
Tamara has been a constant support to Petra throughout the difficult court proceedings
At a hearing last year, a court was told Mr Stunt had signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million.
The pair had hired some of the country’s most high profile divorce lawyers to represent them as they fought over how to divide their wealth.
Petra’s legal team included Baroness Fiona Shackleton, who represented Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce battle with Heather Mills.
Petra’s lawyers instigated an earlier hearing to force Mr Stunt to move out of their 14-bedroom home in Chelsea so she and their three children could live there.
Mr Stunt is pictured today (left) and with Petra (right) at St James’s Palace in London in 2015
A court was told last year that Mr Stunt had signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million
Mr Stunt is pictured having a cigarette outside the High Court in London this morning
However, Petra and Mr Stunt have vowed to be ‘firm friends’. In recent months, Petra has been linked to a friend of Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland, Sam Palmer.
The duo were first spotted together in November, enjoying a stroll around London with her twin sons.
It has been claimed the luxury car salesman and Petra have grown ‘close’ and even enjoyed a break to Dubai with Tamara and Mr Rutland three months ago.
Tamara’s gushing post about Petra comes after she shared a candid snap of her breastfeeding her daughter Sophia, three.
The warring ex-couple of Petra and Mr Stunt had been back and forth to court for 12 months
In recent months, Petra (right) has been linked to a friend of Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland, Sam Palmer (left). They are pictured together in West Hollywood, California, last week
Her decision to do so has subjected Tamara to criticism, with many disagreeing with her choice to still be breastfeeding her little girl at that age.
But she has defended her decision. Speaking on her ITVBe reality series, Tamara said: ‘As soon as Fifi (Sophia’s pet name) was born she headed straight to the boob.’
Mr Rutland added: ‘She believes in breastfeeding, she believes quite passionately in it. I support her in anything she wants to do. I think she’s doing the right thing.’
Tamara has expressed her hopes to have another child with businessman Mr Rutland, while he has said he would like up to four. The pair married in 2013.
Bernie Ecclestone, 87, cosies up to glamorous wife Fabiana Flosi, 39, at private art viewing as she puts on a leggy display in a little black dress
BY REBECCA LAWRENCE FOR MAILONLINE
They tied the knot five years ago.
Yet Bernie Ecclestone, 87, and his glamorous wife Fabiana Flosi, 39, looked more loved up than ever as they attended a viewing in London yesterday.
Cosied up together as they posed for snaps, the pair seemed in high spirits as they beamed at a private viewing of JR: Giants – Body of Work at Lazinc.
She wore the garment over a little black dress that showed off her incredible figure, while she boosted her 5ft 8in frame with a pair of studded court heels.
Leggy lady! Dressed to impress, Fabiana showed off her enviably lean legs in sheer black tights that poked out beneath her tailored black coat
Bernie opted for a low-key look in a suede navy bomber jacket and grey skinny jeans. Also at the event was the likes of Professor Green and Wissam Al Mana.
Fabiana met Bernie through the World Motor Sport Council where she regularly attended meetings.
They knew each other professionally for a few years before a mutual friend invited her on a cruise around Croatia with Bernie and others in 2009.
Despite the near 50-year age gap, something about the billionaire Bernie appealed to Fabiana, and a match was made.
Fabiana is Bernie’s third wife – as he previously married telephone operator Ivy Bamford in 1952, aged 21.
Cute couple: Bernie Ecclestone, 87, and his glamorous wife Fabiana Flosi, 39, looked loved up at a private viewing of JR: Giants – Body of Work at Lazinc in London yesterday
They had one daughter, Debbie, now 59, before they divorced in the Sixties.
He then had a 17-year relationship with Singapore-born Tuana Tan – before having an affair with Croatian model Slavica Malic in 1982.
She was 6ft 2in and 23, and he was 5ft 5in and 51 – and the couple went on to have socialites Tamara, 32, and Petra, 28.
Bernie divorced in 2009 and married Fabiana, with the pair now dividing their time between a mansion in London’s Chelsea and a luxury chalet in Gstaad where they married.