Monty Python legend pays £12.5 million in divorce settlement

Pre-nuptial agreements are back in the headlines this week after Monty Python legend John Cleese was ordered to pay his third wife more than half of his fortune.

Cleese, who is currently writing a comedy from a New Forest hideaway, failed to sign a pre-nup when he married for the third time, something Lymington based family law specialist Jane Thomas of Moore Blatch says could have saved him millions of pounds.

“As this case shows, in the absence of any formal agreement, there can be alarming financial consequences,” she said.

 “Couples marrying for the second or third time, who do not want to have children, should always consider a pre-nuptial agreement.’’

Alice Faye Eichelberger will receive a total of £12.5 million – benefitting from an £8 million payment immediately and further instalments of £612,000 over the next seven years. Leaving John Cleese with an estimated £10million pounds – ironically, he will now be the poorer of the two.

Jane Thomas continues: “Pre-nuptial agreements are legally binding in the USA, where they lived and had John Cleese signed one, we could be discussing a very different financial outcome.”

There are no children of the marriage and Ms Eichelberger a qualified psychotherapist lived in a council flat when the two met.

Awarded a mews house in Kensington and an apartment at the Carlyle Hotel in New York under the divorce – Ms Eichelberger will now enjoy an enviable choice of residence, leaving her modest early days very much behind her.

Jane Thomas concludes: “Considering the financial contribution made by Ms Eichelberger throughout the marriage – this is an incredible settlement. But it’s important to remember that these matters don’t just affect the rich and famous.
 
“Although pre-nuptial agreements are not legally binding in the UK, they can be taken into account and are increasingly influencing financial settlements, especially if both parties have taken independent advice, before entering into any formal agreement,” she said.

Reported to be writing a new one man show ‘Alimony Tour, Year One’ whilst staying in the New Forest, John Cleese appears to be using his celebrated humour to weather out the storm. Remarkably he will need to earn just over £600,000 a year until the age of 76, to fully meet his obligations under the settlement.
Pre-nuptial agreements are back in the headlines this week after Monty Python legend John Cleese was ordered to pay his third wife more than half of his fortune.

Cleese, who is currently writing a comedy from a New Forest hideaway, failed to sign a pre-nup when he married for the third time, something Lymington based family law specialist Jane Thomas of Moore Blatch says could have saved him millions of pounds.

“As this case shows, in the absence of any formal agreement, there can be alarming financial consequences,” she said.

 “Couples marrying for the second or third time, who do not want to have children, should always consider a pre-nuptial agreement.’’

Alice Faye Eichelberger will receive a total of £12.5 million – benefitting from an £8 million payment immediately and further installments of £612,000 over the next seven years. Leaving John Cleese with an estimated £10million pounds – ironically, he will now be the poorer of the two.

Jane Thomas continues: “Pre-nuptial agreements are legally binding in the USA, where they lived and had John Cleese signed one, we could be discussing a very different financial outcome.”

There are no children of the marriage and Ms Eichelberger a qualified psychotherapist lived in a council flat when the two met.

Awarded a mews house in Kensington and an apartment at the Carlyle Hotel in New York under the divorce – Ms Eichelberger will now enjoy an enviable choice of residence, leaving her modest early days very much behind her.

Jane Thomas concludes: “Considering the financial contribution made by Ms Eichelberger throughout the marriage – this is an incredible settlement. But it’s important to remember that these matters don’t just affect the rich and famous.
 
“Although pre-nuptial agreements are not legally binding in the UK, they can be taken into account and are increasingly influencing financial settlements, especially if both parties have taken independent advice, before entering into any formal agreement,” she said.

Reported to be writing a new one man show ‘Alimony Tour, Year One’ whilst staying in the New Forest, John Cleese appears to be using his celebrated humour to weather out the storm. Remarkably he will need to earn just over £600,000 a year until the age of 76, to fully meet his obligations under the settlement.