Prince William Was Reportedly Advised to Sign a Prenup When He Married Kate Middleton 13 Years Ago—But He Refused

Ahead of his April 29, 2011, wedding to Kate Middleton, Prince William was advised to sign a prenuptial agreement, according to The Mirror—but he refused.

The “warnings in some circles” to sign a prenup likely came from those remembering William’s own parents’ messy divorce, which was finalized in 1996. The then Prince Charles had to pay Princess Diana 17 million pounds (that converts to over 22 million dollars) to settle the matter. Divorce ran rampant in the generation before William’s—three of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s four children divorced, all announcing their respective separations from their spouses in 1992, the late Queen’s annus horribilis. Princess Anne and ex-husband Mark Phillips separated and divorced that year, while both Charles and Diana’s and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s respective divorces weren’t final until four years later.

After William and Kate’s engagement was announced in November 2010, Princess Diana’s former private secretary Patrick Jephson said “If she was my sister, I’d tell her to get a good prenup,” he said. “Kate’s not just going into a marriage, she’s going into a business.”

But, when Kate walked down the aisle to William, there was no prenup in place, and “no legally binding document was drawn up before the wedding to safeguard the future king’s wealth or ensure Kate is maintained in a certain lifestyle if they do ever split,” The Mirror reports. A source told The Daily Mail at the time that “There is no prenuptial agreement in place for this wedding,” and they also denied that it was ever suggested to William that there should be one in the first place. Neither Charles and Diana nor Andrew and Fergie had a prenup, either, but those marriages, as The Mirror put it, had “differing results.” 

Indeed, the marriage of the current Prince and Princess of Wales seems stronger than ever, 13 years on and amid a slew of challenges this year, specifically regarding Kate’s health. Marie Claire reported yesterday that Kate is “genuinely touched” by everything William has done for her during this difficult time—and not just her, but their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, as well.