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Matt Lauer Divorce May Involve ‘One-Time Cash Payout’ To Annette Roque

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 02:21 PST, May 18, 2018

Annette Roque, the long-suffering wife of former Today show host Matt Lauer, is asking for a one-time cast payout from Lauer, and then the two to move on. Roque, who was said to have initiated the divorce, has been living apart from Lauer since Christmas with the three Lauer children, Jack, Romy, and Thijs (pronounced “Tice”).

US Weekly is reporting that Roque would prefer to get a one-time payout to receiving spousal or child support. A source says she would prefer to just be done with Lauer. They say she wants $20 million and two of their shared homes, the house in the Hamptons and a farm in Watermill, New York.

“If she does get the $20 million, Annette won’t ask for child support, but Matt will pay for major expenses for the kids, education, healthcare until they are 21.”

Roque is also asking that their joint property in New Zealand (a large cattle farm) be sold and that they should share the profits. A one-time payout might be beneficial for Lauer, too, who tells friends he wants a clean slate.

“He thinks he can start fresh … In both his personal and professional life.”

Friends say that Roque wanted Lauer out of the house immediately after the story broke that he had been fired from NBC for sexual misconduct. Lauer was concerned about the visuals of being thrown out of the house right after his termination, but Roque was said not to care, as she was just trying to do what was best for the children.

“Getting him to move out was quite daunting because Matt was refusing to leave. It was all about Matt, who expressed concern about how it would look to the media in the wake of being fired by NBC. Annette was simply at a loss for words because she had hoped that he would recognize this was best for her and the kids.”

Roque was spotted around New Years outside her lawyer’s office in NYC. Lauer’s estranged wife had filed for divorce before back in 2006 when she was pregnant with their youngest child, Thijs. Roque had claimed that she was essentially raising their children alone.

“Defendant [Matt Lauer] has continuously and repeatedly given higher priority to… personal interests than his family obligations to plaintiff, causing plaintiff to feel abandoned, isolated and alone in raising the parties’ children.”

Lauer and Roque decided to stay together, but they both signed a post-nuptial agreement which would guarantee Roque an additional $5 million if they split in the future, beyond what she was promised in the prenup.

Sources say that before Lauer was fired, he was making $25 million at NBC.

“The postnup will likely specify how much Annette would get if they divorce, but she is expected to challenge it given Matt’s earnings since 2006, and given how he has humiliated her. There are also issues with all the property and land they own, both in the Hamptons and abroad.”

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