Ex-wife will row follows Pavarotti's passing

Just days after the sad death of Luciano Pavarotti rumours of a brewing battle between his two wives over his estate have hit headlines.

It is thought that the opera star's family could have a fight on their hands over the distribution of his fortune, believed to be in the region of £250 million.

Pavarotti divorced his wife of 36 years and mother of his three daughters, Adua Veroni, in 2000, marrying 37-year-old Nicoletta Mantovani in 2003. The couple welcomed daughter Alice in 2003.

But it is being speculated that the Italian, who was 71 when he died, may have cut his current wife out of his will in favour of his ex.

A friend of Pavarotti's is quoted by Italian paper La Stampa as saying that the tenor was considering a separation and "thinking of going to a lawyer".

Franca Strata, the wife of his dietician, is reported by several publications as commenting: "Luciano always spoke highly of Adua. He kept saying you just don't cancel nearly 40 years of marriage like that."

The singer died on September 6th, 2007 after fighting pancreatic cancer.