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Here's why Prince Harry isn't signing a prenup before marrying Meghan Markle

Prince Harry is reportedly not signing a prenup before his marriage to Meghan Markle [Photo: Getty]
Prince Harry is reportedly not signing a prenup before his marriage to Meghan Markle [Photo: Getty]

You only have to look at pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to see that they’re completely loved-up. But if proof was ever needed that Harry is head-over-heels look no further than the rumours currently circulating that he’s declining to sign a prenup with his bride-to-be before the royal wedding in May.

According to a report from The Daily Mail, a source close to the 33-year-old royal has revealed he has no intention of asking Meghan to sign a prenup to safeguard his estimated £30 million fortune.

“There was never any question in Harry’s mind that he would sign a prenup,” the source revealed. “He’s determined that his marriage will be a lasting one, so there’s no need for him to sign anything.”

Harry isn’t alone in rejecting the idea of a prenup; his brother Prince William, also refused the idea of a prenup before tying the knot with Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

And the Princes’ mother, Princess Diana, also didn’t have such an agreement and therefore had to fight hard to win a settlement of £17 million after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.

Should Prince Harry get a prenup? [Photo: Getty]
Should Prince Harry get a prenup? [Photo: Getty]

Prince Harry is well used to flouting the royal rules, but is overlooking a prenup a wise move?

“We all hope that Harry’s marriage to Meghan is forever, but with an estimated £30 million fortune to protect, it’s quite surprising to see that Prince Harry has reportedly chosen not to get a prenuptial agreement,” says First4Lawyers Head of Marketing Andy Cullwick.

“Whilst prenups aren’t legally enforceable in the UK, they can be used as a bench mark in divorce cases, and the rich and famous may therefore be best advised to use them as a means to try and protect their assets.”

Prince Harry refusing to entertain the idea of a prenup would actually be going against the growing trend for celebrities to insist on getting things financially and legally in place before walking down the aisle.

Research by divorce specialists First4Lawyers has found that there has been a steep increase in prenuptial agreements in the past three years, with 63% of lawyers saying they have seen more cases.

And according to a Telegraph report from December, inquiries about prenups in Britain have risen 70 per cent in the past decade.

Click below to view Meghan Markle’s style evolution:

For celebrities, prenups are often part and parcel of getting married. With millions of pounds of assets to protect and a 50% divorce rate amongst celebrities (compared to the 25% UK average), it is no wonder they make prenups a priority.

Some of the more notable celebrities who went down the prenup route include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Beyoncé and Jay Z, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman.

All of these agreements contain child custody agreements alongside financial arrangements, with Urban and Kidman’s even including a clause that excludes Keith from receiving any money if he ever uses drugs again.

The Prince follows his brother Prince William in not signing a prenup [Photo: Getty]
The Prince follows his brother Prince William in not signing a prenup [Photo: Getty]

But what happens when there is no prenup?

Step forward Guy Ritchie and Madonna, whose divorce cost her an eye-watering $92 million of her fortune.

Then there was the break-up of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey who also didn’t have a prenuptial agreement. Although Jessica offered Nick $1.5 million, he ended up walking away with over half of the $35m income she had clocked up during their marriage. Yikes!

While thoughts of divorce are obviously far from Prince Harry’s mind right now, and he’s likely thinking like the 58% of people who believe prenups are unromantic.

But like it or not marriage isn’t all hearts and flowers and the run-up to getting wed requires some serious worst-case-scenario contemplation.

“There is a common misconception that prenups are unromantic, but we’d argue that having one in place doesn’t mean that it will be needed and, where significant sums are at stake, it’s certainly worth considering all available options,” Andy Cullwick adds.

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