Ryan Giggs and estranged wife due to be granted divorce

Former Manchester United and Wales star Ryan Giggs and his estranged wife Stacey are due to divorce today.

Mrs Giggs, 39, is expected to be granted a decree nisi during brief proceedings in central London.

Their names appear as Giggs S A v R J 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.

Since their split last year, they have been involved in proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court in London relating to the division of marital assets.

A judge is expected is be asked to decide at a future hearing on how big a share of the marital assets Mrs Giggs should get if agreement is not reached.

Mrs Giggs has previously said she wants the divorce court fight over money to end as ''swiftly and amicably as possible''.

Earlier this year, Mr Justice Cobb, sitting in the High Court, considered preliminary legal issues in the case.

On the question of press coverage, he made an order limiting what journalists would be able to report after an application by 43-year-old Giggs.

The judge said he would not allow reporting of private financial information aired during the litigation, and also said the pair's children should not be named in any report of proceedings.

He said: "This couple have a significant profile in the media, both nationally and internationally.

"That they are divorcing, and that their financial remedy proceedings are being pursued in the English courts, are pieces of information already in the public domain, and the publication of that information cannot legitimately be restrained by order.''

But he said it was ''appropriate'' for hearings be to be staged in private. He said that would mean journalists could attend but not members of the public.

During one preliminary hearing, the judge was told that Giggs would argue at any trial that he made a "special contribution" to the creation of wealth during the marriage.

It is understood that there will be a further High Court hearing on the issue of finances later in the year.

Giggs retired as a player in the summer of 2014 and subsequently worked as 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.