Prince Andrew facing legal action over unpaid debt worth £5m – report
Written by News on 08/05/2020
Prince Andrew is caught in a dispute over a Swiss chalet amid reports legal proceedings have been launched against him over an unpaid bill of £5m.
Le Temps newspaper said the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York bought the holiday home in the Verbier ski resort in 2014.
But the pair did not meet a deadline of paying off part of the sum for the seven-bedroom chalet in December 2019, according to the newspaper.
A spokeswoman for the duke said: “We can confirm there is a dispute between the two parties in this matter.
“The contractual details remain the subject of a confidentiality agreement and prevent further discussion.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the reports.
The report claims nearly £5m was due to be paid at the end of 2019, which has since risen to £6.7m.
It is understood that Andrew and Sarah had intended to sell the chalet and the proceeds of the sale were intended to clear any outstanding debt, a move which is believed to be known to the lender.
Law firm Etude du Ritz has been instructed to launch legal proceedings, Le Temps reported.
The duke stepped down from royal duties last year following a Newsnight interview in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Critics accused him of failing to show regret over his friendship with the disgraced financier.
Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, also alleges the duke had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17, still a minor under US law.
Andrew, who strenuously denies the allegations, has faced calls to talk to the FBI and US prosecutors still investigating Epstein, who committed suicide in jail while facing sex trafficking charges.
(c) Sky News 2020: Prince Andrew facing legal action over unpaid debt worth £5m – report
