The Diva of Divorce versus Steel Magnolia: Secret Millionaire star and Indian billionaire’s son hire top barristers to battle each other in £100m divorce fight

• Simrin Choudhrie and Bhanu Choudhrie are facing off in London’s High Court
• Mr Choudrie is son of billionaire and major Lib Dem supporter Sudhir Choudhrie
• Judge, Mr Justice Cohen, said no detail of the private hearing could be reported 
• The pair have have both hired top barristers in their ‘£100m divorce fight’ 

A Secret Millionaire star and her estranged businessman husband have hired top barristers in ‘£100m divorce fight’.  Wealthy interior designer Simrin Choudhrie and estranged husband Bhanu Choudhrie, who is the son of an Indian billionaire, are fighting in the Family Division of the High Court in London. Baroness Fiona Shackleton, who represented Sir Paul McCartney, Prince Charles and Monty Python’s John Cleese in their divorce cases, is fighting in Mrs Choudhrie’s corner.  Nicknamed ‘Steel Magnolia’ for her resolute demeanour, Baroness Shackleton sits as a Tory peer in the House of Lords.

Mr Choudhrie, son of billionaire and major Lib Dem donor Sudhir Choudhrie, has hired Ayesha Vardag, a favourite among ‘ultra-high-net-worth- clients dubbed the ‘Diva of Divorce’.

The couple and their legal teams attended a preliminary hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice Family Division today.

Mr Justice Cohen said no detail of the private hearing could be reported.

Indian-British businessman Mr Choudhrie, 40, has global investments in healthcare, hospitality, banking, real estate, aviation and utilities.

Both he and his father have donated to the Lib Dems, while Mrs Choudhrie has worked as a campaign assistant for the party’s former deputy leader Simon Hughes.

She is now best known as an interior designer after boosting her profile in a 2010 appearance on reality show The Secret Millionaire, which saw her go undercover.

The Choudhries reportedly lived together in a £20million Grade II listed home in London’s Belgravia before their relationship soured.

Their divorce case was adjourned following today’s preliminary hearing.