Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may have to give evidence in High Court fraud case after gifts up to £750,000 were received from an elderly Turkish woman

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor can be called to give evidence about his business dealings, a judge ruled today.

The High Court granted permission to a former Goldman Sachs banker to call evidence from the former Duke of York.

Andrew is not accused of any wrongdoing and the case is not about him, but he has been drawn into it after gifts of up to £750,000 were made.

The case involves an elderly Turkish millionairess, Nebahat Isbilen. 

Mrs Isbilen claimed she was conned into giving some of her fortune to the then Prince Andrew and his family by former Goldman Sachs banker and alleged fraudster Selman Turk, who had won an award at Andrew’s Dragons Den-style initiative Pitch@Palace.

According to claims in her complex and long-running High Court case, she alleged Mr Turk had stolen millions from her. 

The Yorks were dragged into the mystery which involved Mr Turk arranging payments of £350,000 to Andrew, £225,000 to the Duchess of York, £25,000 to Princess Eugenie and a £750,000 ‘gift’ for Princess Beatrice’s wedding.

There was no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the Yorks, and they reached an agreement with Mrs Isbilen in 2023 to repay her an undisclosed amount of money.

Ms Isbilen alleges that Mr Turk, her former adviser, misled her over the payments made to the then-duke and his family in 2019.

Mr Turk denies dishonesty and made a bid to be allowed to call Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to give evidence at the trial.

In a judgment today, Mr Justice Adam Johnson agreed and allowed Mr Turk to rely on a witness summary, as well as giving him permission to seek to call evidence from Mr Mountbatten-Windsor.

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 said the effect of his ruling was 'to give Mr Turk permission to seek to call evidence from Mr Mountbatten-Windsor', adding: 'In practice this will likely involve him issuing a witness summons, which can be done without further permission of the Court provided the summons is issued more than seven days before the start of trial.'