Sophia Michaels
Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower signed a prenuptial agreement in 2004 when they renewed their wedding vows. While the prenup established Hightower would get $6 million for an apartment, plus half a million and a yearly alimony of $1 million, it wouldn’t start protecting either until the divorce was final, according to Page Six. And here’s where things got complicated. While the wheels of justice did their thing, De Niro contended he was forced to pick up extra work to keep up with Hightower.
“When does he get the opportunity to … not work six-day weeks, 12-hour days so he can keep pace with Ms. Hightower’s thirst for Stella McCartney?” De Niro’s lawyer argued in an April 2021 court hearing, Page Six reported. Hightower, for her part, argued De Niro had taken it upon himself to lower her credit card limit to $100,000 from the previous $375,000. “There have been no cutbacks and no slowdowns in Mr. De Niro’s lifestyle whatsoever,” her lawyer said. The back-and-forth continued over the next several months.
In October 2021, an appeals court dealt Hightower a blow when it denied her claim for half of De Niro’s earnings, according to Fox News. “The husband’s income earned during the marriage and other business assets acquired during that time are his separate property,” the decision read. Even though the couple has been separated for years, it’s not looking like the divorce is going to be finalized anytime soon.
