Q. A friend from my yeshiva days told me that the minhag in his family is that the husband also lights the Shabbos candles with a brocho! Is that possible?
A. Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 263: 2-3) rules that both men and women are obliged to light Shabbos candles. However, women are primarily selected to light them, since they are usually at home and deal with the Shabbos needs and preparations. Mishna Berura (ibid. 11) asserts that even if the husband would like to light by himself, his wife has priority. However, if there are many candles he may also light. He adds that on the first Shabbos after giving birth, the husband lights. He also mentions that it is proper that the husband should prepare the candles.
Torah Lishmah (78) mentions that the husband may on the onset, light in another room with a brocho, since the obligation is on both. He adds that she may not prevent him from doing so. Lev Chaim (2: 49), presents a similar opinion.
However, Eishel Avrohom (Butshatch) writes that he would also light Shabbos candles with a brocho in a separate room, but then he read in Shulchan Atzei Shitim, that no brocho should be recited. A similar opinion is mentioned in Piskei Teshuvos (263: 12).
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a