Yikes, this is going to be unpopular but here goes! lol
Sure the settlement is ridiculously extravagant but then so is the lifestyle the Ritchies and their children lead. Why should the children's way of life be changed even one iota as a result of their parents' divorce? It's not their fault, right? It's bad enough they won't see their dad as much as they're used to, but to tell them they have to scale back on the things they've done their entire lives is cruel, IMO.
As for Diane...sure, Lionel Ritchie made that money, not her. However, if she had taken a fulltime outside job in 1984 when she and he met, she would have made a considerable amount of money in the 20 years since then. Or at least enough to suport herself. But I am assuming that it was a mutual decision on the part of the couple that she did not work outside the home and instead opted to run the house instead.
So now that they're dissolving the partnership; her having forfeited two decades of work time and used to a certain lifestyle, she's supposed to go rent a one bedroom apartment in Chino? (ok, I don't know anything about Chino, California, but I know it's where the kid on "The O.C." lived before his legal aid attorney took him in so I'm assuming it's not nice. If I've offended any Chinoans out ther, I apologize
) Think of it as a nice severance package!
Besides, I'm sure Lionel Ritchie can well afford the settlement
