German Heiress’s Legal Battle over Prenup

German heiress Katrin Radmacher, one of the richest women in Germany, has been sued by her estranged French husband, Nicolas Granatino for obtaining a higher divorce settlement. Radmacher, worth approximately £100m, had signed a prenuptial agreement with Granatino before solemnizing their wedding in 1998 in London. Granatino is, however, challenging the legal validity of the prenup.

Legal Battle on Prenuptial Agreements under English Law

While both the parties are foreign nationals, the case is being contested in London since the divorce was filed there, and the couple was settled in the place for a large part of their marriage. Nine judges of the English Supreme Court are deliberating on the stances of the feuding couple. The ruling in this case will be a testimony of whether prenuptial agreements are enforceable under English law. Presently, the English courts, unlike those in US and several other EU nations, do not explicitly recognize prenup agreements.

Famous Celebrity Prenup Agreements

Prenups have become a buzzword ever since it became a common norm among celebrities to sign one. Some of the most popular celebrity prenups of the last decade are: 

• Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman: This prenup nets Urban about $640,000 for each year they stay married. A clause in the prenup states that if Urban, who has been a cocaine addict, abuses any substance he will not be entitled to receive a single cent of Kidman’s fortune, estimated at over $150 million.
• Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: Some highlights of this prenup is that Holmes is entitled to receive $3 million for each year the couple stays married. The agreement also states that if the marriage collapses before 11 years, Holmes is entitled to half of Cruise's fortune.
• Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer: The prenup guarantees Spencer a minimum of $15 million if the couple stays married for more than three years. Besides, each child born of the wedlock gets a trust fund worth $3 million.

Legal Status of Prenups in India

The legal status of prenups varies from country to country. For instance, in Netherlands a prenup not only provides financial security in the event of a divorce, but also protects certain property in case of bankruptcy. Several countries, including Italy, Germany, France and Canada, have certain matrimonial regimes in lieu of prenuptial agreements. In India, prenups are not governed by the Indian marriage laws. Instead, such agreements are considered under the branch of contract laws.