To think it's weird to sign a prenup in these circumstances

[DotStripe]

My friend got married recently and his new wife has pretty well off parents. Obviously I don't know how much they're worth but they have a successful business and a nice house and at a guess I'd value the house and business at £10-15 million. One day his wife and her sister will expect to inherit this.

I know it's none of my business and I don't have all the details but my friend mentioned he signed a pre-nup and I just thought that seemed really strange. They're both young, first marriage, no children. Is this a normal thing fairly wealthy people do?!

Definitely sensible, especially if it’s assets they want to keep in the family. They could be married for 15 years only for him to ditch her and start a family with someone else.

Wealthy families have historically regarded marriage as business transactions, planning matches that secured /retained wealth and status. It’s still legally a joining of two “estates” and where there’s a disparity in wealth or earning potential setting clear expectations and reviewing when circumstances change could save a lot pain and misunderstanding

Sensible. I’m the higher earner and property owner in my relationship but my partner has wealthy parents. If we were to marry (we won’t, because I want to keep separate finances) I’d want a prenup protecting my flat. I bought it before I even knew he existed so I’d want to walk away with it. If we went on to buy somewhere together his parents would likely gift a large sum for a deposit which he would protect with a prenup, as is fair. In this day and age I think the baseline should be people coming away with what they put in rather than 50/50, but then I think marriage should be abolished.

It seems odd to me to start off on this very un-level playing field.

They literally are on an un-level playing field though, she has family money and he doesn’t. The money the prenup will be ring fencing is money he hasn’t helped whatsoever in the creation of.
I’m sure he will benefit during their marriage from her assets but why should he walk away with them if they split?

I've also heard a couple of stories where a couple have divorced but had no financial order or clean break order, and the ex spouse has been able to inherit other ex spouse's property, even though they didn't pay towards it.

It really depends on what the prenup said, if it was purely protecting inheritance, I don’t think it’s weird at all, her parents may have even been the ones who wanted it.