By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Duke of York, has been served with a witness summons to give evidence in a £40 million fraud trial at the High Court in London. The summons marks the first time a member of the British royal family has been compelled to appear as a witness since the 19th century.
First public questioning since 2019
Mountbatten-Windsor, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, is expected to appear in court on or before 15 December. It will be his first public questioning since his 2019 Newsnight interview and his first public comments since King Charles III stripped him of his royal titles last year.
Turkish businesswoman's lawsuit
The trial centers on a claim by Turkish national Nebahat İşbilen against her former financial adviser, Selman Turk. İşbilen alleges Turk misled her and used her wealth for his own interests, including a £750,000 payment made to Mountbatten-Windsor in 2019. Turk's legal team sought to call Mountbatten-Windsor as a witness to support his defence.
Judge rules evidence relevant
Janes Solicitors, representing Turk, said the judge concluded that the proposed evidence from Mountbatten-Windsor appears relevant to allegations of dishonesty against Turk. The judge ruled it would be unfair and unjust to prevent Turk from seeking to adduce that evidence at trial.
