Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor can be called to give evidence in a High Court trial involving allegations of fraud made against a Turkish businessman, a judge has ruled.
Businessman Selman Turk is being sued by fellow Turkish national Nebahat Isbilen, with a trial in London expected to begin in November.
Nebahat alleges that Selman, her former adviser, misled her over a £750,000 payment made to the then-Duke in 2019, which was later paid back.
However, he denies dishonesty and made a bid to be allowed to call Andrew to give evidence at the trial.
© Getty Images
In a judgment on Friday, Mr Justice Adam Johnson agreed and allowed Selman to rely on a witness summary, as well as giving him permission to seek to call evidence from Andrew.
Witness summaries outline the potential evidence a party in proceedings believes a witness could give when they are unable to get them to get a witness statement from them.
The judge said: "Given the seriousness of the allegations, both on their own terms and in light of their wider impact, fairness requires that Mr Turk should be afforded an opportunity of putting forward his own case, using the evidence he considers relevant and material."
He later said that his decision only meant the businessman could call evidence from the former Duke, and that a witness summons "will likely" be needed to compel him to give evidence.
Why might Andrew appear in court?
Mr Justice Adam Johnson said that although Selman Turk had been late to seek to rely on evidence from the former Duke, the evidence from him is "limited in scope" and can be accommodated in the 11-week trial.
He added that while he assumed "no, or no serious attempt was made" by Mr Turk to contact Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, "I am content to find on the balance of probabilities that had he been asked, Mr Mountbatten-Windsor would have declined to provide a witness statement".
© Getty Images
Lawyers for Nebahat Isbilen previously told the court in London that tens of millions of her funds had been misappropriated, with Selman Turk then failing to explain where the money had gone.
You may also like
The High Court was also previously told by lawyers for Nebahat that "money was used for purposes unconnected with Mrs Isbilen, eg, substantial sums were paid to Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and to Sarah, Duchess of York".
The court heard in 2023 that there had been a "settlement" between Nebahat and the then-Duke and Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor latest updates
Andrew has been keeping a low profile since his arrest in February, but was back in the news this month after winning his legal challenge against Thames Valley Police.
It was ruled that search warrants used to raid his home following his arrest were "unlawful", though the investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office is understood to be continuing.
© Getty Images
A hearing in the case is expected to be held in private in 2027.
Andrew now lives at Marsh Farm on his brother King Charles's Sandringham Estate after being exiled from his Royal Lodge home in Windsor.
The King loaned the disgraced former Duke a sum of £1.5 million to pay for repairs and restorations on his former property after the lease was officially surrendered.