It is alleged, pregnant Lauren Silverman waited over a year to divorce husband Andrew Silverman, so that the terms of their pre-nuptial agreement would kick in, awarding her $3 or $4 million, despite starting to date Simon Cowell at the end of 2011/beginning of 2012.

Cited in the divorce as a co-respondent, Simon Cowell is said to be staying away from Lauren until the messy divorce is finalised. However, a settlement could come as early as this week if Lauren agrees to take less than the $4 million set out in the pre-nup.

Paul Ireland, Head of Family Law at Abacus says… “Pre-nuptial agreements have become increasingly popular in recent years, and not just for the wealthy couple. They are often used to protect inherited assets or perhaps when a person is marrying for the second time to protect the assets they received following the breakdown of their first marriage.

The law in relation to pre-nuptial agreements and more importantly the way English divorce courts will treat them legally was the subject of significant discussion in the relatively recent case of Radmacher. The courts in this case confirmed that there are circumstances in which they will attach weight to a pre-nuptial agreement.

A pre-nuptial agreement can not only protect assets but also potentially save a great deal of time, cost and argument, should a marriage unfortunately breakdown.”

For help and assistance in drafting a pre-nuptial agreement, contact Paul Ireland on 0161 833 0044 or email family@abacus-law.co.uk