A former supermodel who was awarded a staggering £75 million from her Saudi billionaire ex husband could now have the settlement delayed after the terminally ill Sheikh died.

International businessman Sheikh Walid Juffali passed away in Zurich on Wednesday following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Earlier this month his ex-wife, former Pirelli calendar girl Christina Estrada, took the 61-year-old to the High Court where her fight for a share of his fortune became one of the highest-stakes divorce battles of its kind.

Christina Estrada (right) took her 61-year-old ex-husband Sheikh Walid Juffali (left) to the High Court where her fight for a share of his fortune became one of the highest-stakes divorce battles of its kind

Split: Christine Estrada and Sheikh Walid Juffali at a charity gala in 2007. The American-born model fought for more than three years to win the payout

Dr Juffali did not appear in court in person as he was receiving treatment in a Swiss hospital.

Had he died before the case was concluded, the 54-year-old model's property claim would have become irrelevant.

However the court hearing was brought forward due to his worsening health.

High Court Family Division judge Mrs Justice Roberts had ordered Dr Juffali to pay Ms Estrada the lump sum by 4pm on Friday, July 29, however this could now be subject to a delay while his affairs are put in order.

Dr Juffali's death will not affect the settlement. It is now legally binding and he will have to still pay her the money.

The judge had ordered Dr Juffali to pay Ms Estrada the lump sum by 4pm on Friday, July 29 - however this could now be subject to a delay while his affairs are put in order

Dr Juffali (pictured with Ms Estrada), passed away this week at a hospital in Zurich following a long battle with cancer

Ms Estrada, who is currently in St tropez, was have been informed of her husband's death this week and was said by friends to be 'devastated' at the news.

Dr Juffali, was chairman and heir of EA Juffali and Brothers, one of Saudi Arabia's most successful companies.

Ms Estrada met the businessman in 2000 and they wed soon after, however the marriage ran into difficulty after Dr Juffali's decision in 2012 to marry a 25-year-old Lebanese model, the mother of his two youngest children, while still married to Ms Estrada.

Muslim culture allows more than one wife.

The sheikh divorced Ms Estrada in Saudi Arabia in 2014 under Islamic law without her knowledge.

The pair have one daughter together.

Ms Estrada (pictured outside the High Court in London), is understood to have been informed of her husband's death this week and was said by friends to be 'devastated' at the news

Ms Estrada wanted £196million from the businessman to meet her 'reasonable needs' - which included two luxury houses, a huge clothes budget and five cars

Ms Estrada wanted £196million from the businessman to meet her 'reasonable needs' - which included two luxury houses, a huge clothes budget and five cars.

EXPENSES PUT FORWARD BY FORMER MODEL MS ESTRADA £55million for a new home in London

£4.4 million country home in Henley

£1.02 million-a-year clothing budget

£335,558 staff including a butler, housekeeper, chauffer, nanny, two cleaners, a chef and office manager

£100,000 to maintain her home

£100,000 for food and drink

£482,416 to rent a yacht for two weeks, £4,824 to tip the crew

£247,233 for a Paris holiday at the Presidential Suite at the Ritz, plus £74,230 for the nanny's room

£103,000 for 12 nights in the south of France

£93,793 on beauty treatments

£58,000 for two luxury handbags

£23,000 for six casual handbags

£35,000 for ten clutch handbags

£26,000 for a mobile phone

£14,850 for three new suitcases a year

£39,000 for two watches every year

£9,400 for four bottles of face cream

£4,000 for fifteen pairs of sunglasses Advertisement

The model rejected an offer which, added to her own assets, would have given her some £37million to live on.

She was ultimately awarded a £53million cash settlement at London's High Court - with lawyers saying the payout is worth £75million when assets she has already been given are taken into account.

Her lawyers said the award she received was 'by more than £50million the largest needs award ever made by an English court'.

Ms Estrada claimed her 'needs' included £1million for clothes, £40,000 for fur coats, £109,000 for haute couture dresses and £21,000 for shoes every year.

She also said she needed enough from her ex-husband to afford a luxury home in London worth about £60million, a £4.4 million house in the country at Henley, as well as £495,000 for five cars - three in London and two in the US.

She told family judge Mrs Justice Roberts: ‘I am Christina Estrada.

'I was a top international model. I have lived this life. This is what I am accustomed to.’

Her lawyers estimated her ex-husband was worth £8billion.

But Dr Juffali had said in a written statement that was a grossly exaggerated 'fantasy' figure and put his net worth at about £113.8million.

He said in his statement that he had left the vast majority of his wealth to his three eldest children, including his daughter with Ms Estrada, now a teenager, who cannot be identified.

Sheikh Walid Juffali passed away in Zurich on Wednesday following a lengthy battle with cancer - now his ex wife, Christina Estrada, may have to wait for her divorce payout

Yesterday, a source close to Miss Estrada said: ‘She’s devastated as she loved him to the end and she’s been dreading this day.

‘Christina had, throughout his illness, sent him messages and prayers of hope.

‘She has not thought about the settlement. Her priority is her daughter. She’s young and she’s just lost her father.’

Earlier this month, Miss Estrada, who is currently living in the £22million matrimonial home near Windsor Great Park, described her court battle as ‘distressing’ but said she was glad she had ‘made history’.