Andrew summoned as witness in £40m High Court fraud trial over payments

The summons

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been served with a summons compelling him to give evidence in a fraud trial at the High Court, according to the BBC. He is not accused of wrongdoing in the case, which involves a wealthy Turkish woman, Nebahat Isbilen, who alleges that her former financial adviser, Selman Turk, misled her and used her wealth for his own interests. Isbilen's lawsuit concerns a payment of £750,000 made to Andrew in 2019, which she believed was for help obtaining a passport.

The court is expected to hear the case from mid-November, and Andrew is expected to appear around 15 December. He could appear in person or by video link. The summons was issued in the week of 2 November, and a judge had earlier given permission for him to be called as a witness.

Disputed payments

Turk denies dishonesty and says the £750,000 payment was a gift made on Isbilen's own initiative to build goodwill with the then duke, unconnected to any passport. Court documents also raise questions about a second payment of about £768,743 from Isbilen's account in January 2020, which Turk describes as a loan to Andrew for the purchase of a chalet in Switzerland. Isbilen disputes that account. Andrew repaid the £750,000 in 2021, according to a report cited in the sources.

Why the testimony matters

The appearance would be Andrew's first public questioning since his 2019 Newsnight interview, and his first public comments since the King stripped him of his titles last year. Reports say he is the first member of the royal family since the 19th century to receive such a witness summons. Turk's lawyers, Janes Solicitors, said the judge had concluded that the evidence Turk wishes to adduce from Andrew appears relevant to allegations of dishonesty against Turk.

“The Judge concluded that the proposed evidence that Mr Turk wishes to adduce from Mr Mountbatten-Windsor appears relevant to allegations of dishonesty advanced against Mr Turk.”

Background to the case

Andrew has faced years of criticism over his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reports note that he was temporarily arrested on his 66th birthday in February, a matter separate from this civil case. He has denied allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, who said he had sex with her when she was 17.

2019 payment (disputed)750,000

January 2020 payment (disputed)768,743

2019 payment (disputed)

750000 £

January 2020 payment (disputed)

768743 £

Data from the article text