Man United legend Giggs divorced by wife
FORMER Manchester United and Wales star Ryan Giggs’ estranged wife Stacey has been granted a divorce.
Mrs Giggs (39) was given a decree nisi during brief proceedings in central London yesterday.
Their names appeared as Giggs SA v RJ in a short list of other couples for the “making of a decree or order” under matrimonial and civil partnership proceedings by District Judge Yvonne Gibson at the Central Family Court in High Holborn.
Giggs and Stacey Cooke married in September 2007 and have two children.
Neither party was present to hear the judge formally grant the decree.
Once a decree nisi has been granted, a divorce petitioner has to wait six weeks and a day to apply for a decree “absolute”.
James Brown, a partner with Hall Brown Family Law acting for Mrs Giggs, said she was determined to finalise all outstanding aspects of her divorce with as little attention as possible for the sake of her family.
Mr Brown said: “Mrs Giggs’ primary focus has always been and will continue to be the welfare of her family.
“Her only interest is in bringing these events to as swift and amicable a conclusion as possible, so that she and her family can move on.
“Divorce is a very personal process and she wishes to emphasise once more her request that her family be allowed to complete it in privacy.”
The court papers made public said “the judge held that the respondent has behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with the respondent”. The paperwork stated that the marriage solemnised at the Lowry Hotel in Salford “has broken down irretrievably”.
In Mrs Giggs’ “statement in support of divorce — unreasonable behaviour”, details of the behaviour were not given.
Giggs retired as a player in the summer of 2014 and subsequently worked as Manchester United’s interim manager for a short spell.
He made a record 963 appearances for United over 24 seasons and won 64 Welsh international caps.