Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor summoned as witness in High Court fraud case

The former Duke of York is expected to give evidence in a case over a disputed £750,000 payment made to him in 2019. He is not accused of wrongdoing.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been served with a witness summons requiring him to give evidence in a High Court case involving allegations of dishonesty against Turkish businessman Selman Turk.

The case was brought by Turkish national Nebahat Isbilen, who alleges that Turk, her former financial adviser, misled her and used her wealth for his own purposes. Turk denies dishonesty.

Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to give evidence around 15 December. He could appear in person or by video link. His evidence is expected to relate to payments made from Isbilen’s funds.

Dispute over a £750,000 payment

Isbilen alleges that she was misled over a £750,000 payment made to Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019. According to court documents, she believed the money was connected to help obtaining a passport.

Turk’s position is that Isbilen made the payment voluntarily to create goodwill with Mountbatten-Windsor, and that it had nothing to do with a passport. He has said the proposed evidence from Mountbatten-Windsor is relevant to the allegations against him.

A judge ruled in October that Turk could rely on a witness summary and seek Mountbatten-Windsor’s evidence at trial. The judge said it would be unfair to prevent Turk from presenting evidence he considered relevant to his defence.

The case also involves a separate payment of about £768,743 made in January 2020. Turk has described that money as a loan to Mountbatten-Windsor for a chalet in Switzerland; Isbilen disputes that account.

Mountbatten-Windsor is not accused

The legal action concerns Turk’s alleged conduct. Mountbatten-Windsor is not accused of wrongdoing in the case.

The summons means he is required to attend and answer questions as a witness. His appearance would be his first public questioning since his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview.

Turk’s representatives have said he denies the allegations and looks forward to presenting his position at trial. The High Court proceedings are due to begin in November.