The Norwegian businessman who set up Viking Cruises and his estranged wife have reached a divorce settlement after running up nearly £10 million in legal fees, a judge has been told.

After six days into the London High Court divorce battle, Ellen-Karine Hagen and her estranged husband Torstein Hagen, who are both in their 70s, reached an agreement.

The trial was scheduled to last three weeks with Mrs Hagen already having given evidence in the case and her estranged husband due to do the same on Wednesday.

According to the Forbes list - detailing the wealthiest people in the world - Mr Hagen sits at number 12 and has a fleet of 62 vessels.

Mrs Justice Roberts was told that Mrs Hagen wanted half of her husband's fortune.

The judge said neither the amount Mrs Hagen said her husband was worth, nor the amount Mr Hagen said he was worth, could be revealed.

But she said a ''very substantial'' amount of money was at stake, lawyers also said details of the settlement would not be revealed.