Few details of the divorce proceedings have been revealed. Private judges are often hired in the US to mediate disputes between divorcing celebrities for privacy reasons.
Kate Daly, co-founder of online divorce company Amicable, told the BBC that such a case was very different from an average divorce.
“It’s an industry… [they can afford] lots of expensive lawyers,” she said. “Most people couldn’t afford for it to take eight years. It’s an industry and it’s a bad example – we have to distance [normal] people from that kind of narrative.”
Their children are now all aged between 16 and 23, and showbiz journalist Jeanne Wolf emphasised the emotional fallout.
“It’s been a very emotional and complicated divorce settlement. It’s taken a big toll on the children and the couple involved,” she said.
“They have tried very hard not to let too many details known about what went on in that marriage.”
Jolie’s lawyer highlighted the passage of time in his statement on Monday. “This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago,” he said.
“Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”
