Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been served with a witness summons compelling him to appear in the High Court on or around 15 December to give evidence in a £40m fraud trial.
The former Duke of York faces public questioning for the first time since his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview. Court documents show he is not accused of any wrongdoing in the legal battle, which involves wealthy Turkish national Nebahat İşbilen alleging she was misled by her former financial adviser, Selman Turk, over her wealth and asset management.
According to BBC reporting, the witness summons was issued after Justice Adam Johnson permitted Mr Turk to call the former prince as a witness. The judge stated that denying access to relevant and material evidence would be unfair and unjust to Mr Turk, who denies allegations of dishonesty.
Court to Examine Disputed Financial Transfers
The upcoming court proceedings are set to examine financial transfers made at the end of Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as a working royal. Court filings reveal that Ms İşbilen claimed she was misled into paying £750,000 to Mountbatten-Windsor under the belief that the money would assist with obtaining a passport.
Mr Turk has contested that narrative, asserting instead that the £750,000 transfer was an independent gift intended to build goodwill with the then-duke, unconnected to any passport assistance. The payment was sent to Mountbatten-Windsor’s personal bank account on 15 November 2019, the day after he recorded his BBC Newsnight interview. Amid intense attention surrounding his association with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and allegations that he had sexual relations with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor announced his withdrawal from public responsibilities four days post-interview.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ordered to give evidence at businessman's fraud trial, Sky News understands https://t.co/D8atcCoXmE
In addition to the initial transfer, the trial will scrutinize another significant sum of approximately £768,000 transferred from Ms İşbilen’s account in January 2020. While Mr Turk maintained that this second sum functioned as a loan for purchasing a Swiss chalet, that explanation is contested by Ms İşbilen.
High Court Appearance Marks Rare Royal Summons
The High Court appearance marks a rare moment for the British monarchy. Observers believe Mountbatten-Windsor is the first royal to receive a witness summons since the 19th century. His connection to Mr Turk originally stemmed from the Pitch@Palace initiative, a startup pitching project founded by Mountbatten-Windsor in 2014. Following actions by the late Queen in 2022, he lost his military affiliations and royal patronages, and by October of the previous year, he was likewise compelled to drop his remaining titles, such as the Duke of York. The Independent has approached Mr Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.
Lawyers for Ms İşbilen contacted the then-Prince Andrew in 2021, resulting in the return of the funds, but the upcoming trial will proceed to examine Mr Turk’s actions.
The civil trial is scheduled to begin in mid-November in the High Court, with Mountbatten-Windsor expected to take the witness stand around 15 December, either in person or via video link.
