Andrew Summoned to Testify in Civil Fraud Case

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has received a witness summons requiring him to give evidence in a civil fraud case at London’s High Court. It is believed to be the first time a member of the British royal family has been issued such a summons since 1870. He can ask the court to set it aside, so his appearance is not certain.

The case was brought by Nebahat Isbilen, who accuses her former financial adviser, Selman Turk, of misappropriating tens of millions of pounds. She alleges Turk misled her about a £750,000 payment arranged for Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019. The former prince, who was not a party to the suit, repaid the money in 2021.

The parties dispute why the payment was made. Isbilen says Turk told her it was for help Mountbatten-Windsor had provided with her Turkish passport. Turk denies wrongdoing and says she made the payment in the hope the former prince might draw on his contacts to assist her husband, who was imprisoned in Turkey. The case also concerns a separate loan exceeding £768,000, said to be linked to a Swiss ski chalet.

A judge authorized Turk to call Mountbatten-Windsor to give his account of how he received the money. The trial is due to start in November, and his testimony is expected in mid-December. A witness may apply to have a summons changed or canceled, and the court judgment noted that a written statement could be proposed instead of answering questions in court.