Kelly Bensimon Speaks Out After Calling Off Wedding: 'He Refused to Sign a Prenup, I Refused to Marry Him' (Exclusive)

Kelly Bensimon is speaking out after calling off her wedding to financier Scott Litner four days before the pair were supposed to tie the knot, telling PEOPLE that she "refused to marry him" after he wouldn't sign a prenup.

“Ultimately, my decision is nobody’s business, but I understand that there is speculation and gossip, and I want to put an end to all of it,” Bensimon, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “To be clear, he refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, and I refused to marry him. Full stop."

PEOPLE confirmed Bensimon called off the nuptials earlier this week, with an insider close to the reality star saying that she was taking time for herself to regroup during a difficult time.

In an official statement, the Real Housewives of New York City alum confirmed the news, saying that the June 29 wedding was called off on Tuesday, June 25, and that she was "disappointed by this turn of events."

"She was looking forward to an exciting new chapter in her life together with Scott when everything became clear to her late on Tuesday afternoon," the statement read, adding a quote from Bensimon herself: “He thought that I would enter this union without legal protections in place, that I would leave everything to faith. But I’ve worked really, really, hard as a single mother and have always made smart decisions for myself and my family, and that will continue."

The statement added Litner, who works as a wealth management advisor, "refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, effectively stalling their engagement mere days before the wedding."

PEOPLE has reached out to Litner for comment on the end of the engagement, but did not receive an immediate response.

Litner proposed over the Fourth of July weekend in 2023, while the couple were vacationing in Lake Geneva, Wis.

The pair had planned to host two separate celebrations, kicking things off with a smaller ceremony at Litner’s mother’s home in Boston. A larger celebration would have been held at a later date in the Hamptons, when all of their family and friends could come together to celebrate.

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Speaking to PEOPLE in December 2023, Bensimon said that Litner "blew me away" when she first met him, adding, "He’s just a really special human."

Following their engagement, Bensimon kicked wedding planning into high gear, exclusively telling PEOPLE in late May that she had gone wedding dress shopping at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City.

"I just want everyone out there who's getting married for the second time or third or fourth or fifth time, or how many ever times, [to know that] you can call me if you want, if you want someone to congratulate you. I will be here cheering for you," Bensimon said at the time.

Prior to her relationship with Litner, Bensimon was married to famed fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, from 1997 to 2006. The two share daughters Sea and Teddy.