London - Recently-divorced US pop icon Madonna is claiming more than 5 million pounds (7.3 million dollars) damages from a British newspaper for the publication of photographs of her wedding to film director Guy Ritchie eight years ago, her lawyer said Monday.

At proceedings at the High Court in London, lawyer Matthew Nicklin said that the pictures, published by the Mail on Sunday newspaper on October 19, had been copied "surreptitiously" by an interior designer during work at her home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

Nicklin said that no photographs of the marriage, on December 22, 2000, had ever been published anywhere in the world until October 19 this year.

Madonna, who divorced Ritchie last month, and who is said to be worth more than 300 million pounds, had been given "no warning" of the publication, said Nicklin.

"She was ambushed, for the simple reason that if the Mail on Sunday had told her what they intended to do, the claimant would have sought and obtained an injunction," he said.

The newspaper had paid 5,000 pounds for the photographs.

The High Court said the judge had entered judgment in Madonna's favour on the issue of liability Monday. Further proceedings to assess the damages to be paid are expected to be heard next year.