In a landmark judgment this week, the highest court in the land allowed the appeal of Mr Mills, who was battling against his ex-wife's claim for an increase in her maintenance payments.

Yet another nail in the coffin for wives seeking to secure on-going financial provision from their husbands following a divorce?

The Millses divorced in 2002, after a 15-year marriage. Mrs Mills received £230,000 in settlement of her capital claims against her ex-husband, and it was further agreed that he would make annual payments to her of £13,200 - that's £1,100 a month.

But by 2015, after a series of consecutive property purchases and sales, each involving increased borrowing, Mrs Mills had run out of money. She had incurred debts of just over £40,000. So she brought the case back to court, arguing that she had a shortfall of just over £4,000 per year - something she was looking for Mr Mills to meet.

Her former husband argued that, rather than increasing the amount he should be paying to his ex-wife, the monthly payments should be reduced or should come to an end altogether. His position was that he should not have to pick up the tab for what he considered to be his ex-wife's bad financial decisions after their separation.