KEY POINTS:
LONDON - It may be a little too late.
After weeks of feuding, stand-offs and leaks, Sir Paul McCartney made his first public comments about his divorce battle and said he was trying to preserve "a certain dignity".
The musician, who is locked in a bitter split from his estranged wife, Heather Mills, said he bore no grudges, took comfort from the fact that there were many people in his position, and did not feel alone.
Sir Paul's comments, broadcast in an interview with Radio 4's Today programme yesterday, coincided with his first public appearance since the publication of claims about his doomed marriage to Ms Mills, contained in leaked court papers.
The former Beatle was given a standing ovation as he took the stage following the premiere of his new orchestral work, Ecce Cor Meum, at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Friday.
Since his split from Heather in June, Sir Paul has kept his silence and issued only occasional statements through his lawyers.
But in the interview he said: "There are certain things in life that are personal and I think a relationship with a partner is intensely personal, and I prefer to keep it that way.
"When you are going through difficulties, I think the thing to do for the sake of all the people concerned is to keep a certain dignity and remember that it is a private affair, and that way you will probably get through it better.
"You will put less noses out of joint and I think it is a more dignified way to go about it, so that's what I try to do."
Just eight days ago, Sir Paul and Heather kept a wary distance at a party for their daughter Beatrice's third birthday, after divorce documents suggested there had been occasional cruelty and violence during the four-year marriage.
Sir Paul now insists the future is bright.
"I have had a lot of sadness happen in my life and I think a lot of people are like me, so I don't feel alone. For me, I have always been an optimist, I have always found that something will happen.
"Life does go on. I do not hold grudges against anyone. I don't blame anyone for the sadnesses that have happened to me. I am sad about them because it would be stupid to be otherwise."
Although inspired by his former wife, Linda, who died of cancer in 1998, Sir Paul said Ecce Cor Meum was not actually dedicated to her because by the time he finished the piece, after eight years, he was in a relationship with Ms Mills and "it wasn't really appropriate".
At Friday's premiere, Sir Paul described his fourth classical composition as "a labour of love".
"I just feel so privileged to be amongst these great musicians who have done such a fantastic job. I know they have all worked incredibly hard, I have been at the rehearsals."
Sir Paul watched the show from the sixth row of the stalls, flanked by his family, including daughters Stella and Mary.
Other guests included Sir Peter Blake, the artist who created the iconic cover of the LP Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and former ELO musician Jeff Lynne, the producer of The Beatles Anthology.
During the five-minute ovation, white paper hearts rained down in the auditorium.
- INDEPENDENT
