Miss Germaine declared that she wanted the marriage to work, but less than three months later she and Mr Cordell decided to call it quits. Although the wedding, honeymoon and eventual break-up was widely publicised, the esoteric implications of the event need closer examination to see exactly what was transpiring behind the scenes. Although the natal charts of both bride and groom were apparently erected by a well-known pop astrologer to determine their compatibility, an electional chart cast for the marriage will provide clues as to the nature and outcome of the union.

The most significant factor with regard to the wedding chart is that both Mars and the 6th/12th house cusps are posited in the 29th, or anaretic degree. ‘The Anaretic Degree’, written by Helen and Jim Garret, focused on the impact that the 29th degree had in the horoscope. In this work, it was noted that the 29th degree was found in all but one of almost 100 marriages during a research project that the couple conducted.

The 29th degree is the degree of extremes. Wherever it appears, people simply cannot get enough. The 29th degree says that something is about to come to an end and that an element of change is imminent.

Mars posited in Libra in the anaretic degree, sitting on the 6th house cusp indicates that this union was work-based. The vibrations of this fact have further resounded because the Venus/South Node conjunction forms a trine to Mars. The South Node forming a conjunction to Venus indicates that the couple would not be in love, but merely saw the wedding as a means to get more work and promote themselves. Miss Germaine, a model, was accustomed to performing for the camera, and in all likelihood saw the marriage as another assignment to put in her portfolio. Mr Cordell, a sales manager, was unable to find employment although he had been on several job interviews.

Mars forms one leg of a T-square, opposing Saturn and squaring the Sun/Neptune/Venus conjunction. Saturn governs the more responsible aspect of parenting, and it is no secret that the parents of both parties were not happy with the arrangement. When Greg Cordell confided his unhappiness, his father was the first one to advise him to get out of the marriage. Not to be outdone, Carla Germaine’s mother stated that her daughter had married in haste and was repenting at leisure.

The square that Mars has formed to the Sun/Neptune/Mercury conjunction shows that Mr Cordell’s sexual promiscuity put a great deal of stress on the relationship. When the ink was barely dry on their marriage certificate, a string of conquests came forward and denounced him as a shameless love rat. One former girlfriend stated that Mr Cordell had dropped her like a stone and was using the whole thing to make him famous and get a meal ticket. A national newspaper revealed that he was the father of a 5-year-old boy and had left the mother to bring up the child on income support. The straw that broke the camel’s back, however, occurred when a young woman came forward and declared that she had slept with Mr Cordell just nine days after he returned from their honeymoon.

Mars forms a quincunx to Jupiter, which indicates that the couple would have to make many adjustments because their initial expectations of what married life would be like were entirely unrealistic. A television documentary showed the Mr Cordell, by that time jobless, spent most of his time asleep or sprawled on the settee – while his bride nagged him over the housework.