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Being both a staunch republican and a fervent supporter of Welsh rugby, I should not have been disappointed to hear that Irish bookmakers Paddy Power are offering good odds on England international Mike Tindall and Princess Zara Phillips filing for divorce. Against my better – or possibly worse – nature, though, I was. Whilst I initially held little sympathy for either the lothario Tindall or the fame hungry Phillips – who, ultimately, is Katie Price with an expensive private education – I did find Paddy Power’s willingness to make light of their potential divorce to be somewhat insensitive. I understand that bookmarkers –like all businesses – need to diversify, of course. Taking bets on sporting events alone is no longer a viable means of maintaining profitability and patrons are now given the opportunity to place wagers on any number of things as a result. Whilst I can appreciate that such organisations are entitled to profiteer from celebrity divorce, however, I am fairly certain that any profits they would glean from this particular sector are also negligible, however, and that promoting displays little more than appallingly bad taste. Consider, for example, how hurt you would be if you were to discover that your neighbours had placed wagers on when you and your spouse would separate as a result of them having overheard the two of you arguing. People who are experiencing marital difficulties should be afforded the right to resolve matters in private. If they then choose to divorce, they should be allowed to do so with dignity, irrespective of how affluent or privileged they may be. When people are allowed to bet on when, or whether or not, a couple will divorce, a painful and traumatic event is trivialised. This, in turn, plays a significant part in shaping how we, the public, view divorce. After all, divorce is so common these days that people already have a tendency to forget just how harmful it can be, not just to the relevant couple, but to their children, their relatives and possibly even their friends as well. It is not feasible prohibit behaviour that trivialised matters such as divorce – I would openly oppose the introduction of such legislation, in fact – but it is important to remember that every decision to divorce brings significant implications. All sensitive topics, including divorce, should be commented on and even mocked as this serves the interests of democracy. Individuals who engage in such actions – including those who wager on which royal couple will file for divorce next – should remember, however, that the act of legally ending a marriage is more than capable of causing significant damage to couples, their friends and their families.