Divorce day is here and we look at celebrities who made the break in 2022 and beyond, as well as practical advice

Divorce is the second most stressful life event you can go through, the first being the death of a spouse. We look at some famous examples of divorce and why January is a busy time for lawyers.

Elizabeth Taylor, the actress and hopeless romantic, was married eight times to seven husbands. She famously married the actor Richard Burton twice - the first stint being a marriage of ten years from 1964 until 1974 and then again between 1975 until their second divorce in 1976. Taylor said of their tempestuous relationship, "If Richard and I divorce, I swear I will never marry anyone again. I love him insanely." Their first marriage would be Taylor's longest, lasting a decade.

The modern celebrity world will never see the likes of Taylor's marriage and divorce rate, although she has competition from Pamela Anderson who has five divorces under her belt, and she's only 55.

After battling through the Christmas period and waiting until after the New Year, divorce lawyers experience a glut of inquires about divorce and separation on 'Divorce Monday'. According to a poll of 2000 married couples, as many as one in five consider divorce in January after staying together over the Christmas period.

Despite the surge of inquiries about divorce and separation following the stress and strain Christmas can put on many couples, according to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) divorce rates are plateauing in the UK. Maybe as many couples never marry in the first place.

Emily Ratajkowski is a recent addition to the celebrity divorce club. The model was married to Sebastian Bear-McClard from 2018 after a whirlwind romance and the former couple had one son together, Sylvester.

"I feel all the emotions," Emily told Harper’s BAZAAR for the magazine’s November cover story.

"I feel anger, sadness. I feel excitement. I feel joy. I feel levity. Every day is different," she continued.

"The only good thing I know is that I’m feeling all those things, which is nice because it makes me believe that I’ll be OK."

The average cost of a divorce in the US and the UK runs into five digits for many. Lawyers are cleaning up when it comes to settling the dissolution of a marriage. It's also in the interests of each lawyer representing their client to push for as much as they can from the opposing side, ie the person they're separating from. Ethical lawyers will encourage mediation and conflict-resolution, particularly if children are involved.

In the UK, 42% of marriages end in divorce. The reality is that the average cost of a divorce is £14,561 in legal fees and lifestyle costs, according to Moneyhelper website, which is provided by the Money and Pension Service via the UK Government.

For celebrities, the cost is less important and the focus is more around the optics and how this will help or hinder future work offers in modelling, acting, singing or directing/producing films.

Madonna has been married just twice, first to Academy Award-winning actor and director Sean Penn from 1985 to 1989 and then to Guy Ritchie in 2000 - with the two splitting in 2008. Their 2008 split was an intense one, and ultimately, it was reported that Madonna paid Ritchie between $76 million to $92 million. However, the drama between the two was only beginning: they were involved in a bitter custody battle over their son, Rocco.

Some marriages end and it is no-one's fault. Some marriages end and it's very much someone or both people's fault but moving on with grace is key (unless Grace was the name of the person they left you for, and even then you should try to shake yourself free of hurt and shame).

Citizen's advice offers guidance and support for those going through a divorce or considering one. The number one advice is allow yourself to grieve, according to therapists. Think through the legal and financial costs and be practical with your next step. Most importantly, gather friends to have support in place. Even the celebrities will find a divorce very lonely and the importance of friendships cannot be underestimated.