Prince Andrew facing legal proceedings over 'unpaid bill' for Swiss ski chalet
The Duke of York is embroiled in a legal dispute over an alleged £6.7m unpaid bill for his Swiss skiing chalet.
Andrew and his ex-wife reportedly bought the seven-bedroom holiday home in the ski resort of Verbier for £18.3m in 2014 but allegedly failed to pay off a chunk of the total sum by a deadline of December 2019.
French-language daily newspaper Le Temps said as a consequence, legal proceedings have been issued through law firm Etude du Ritz.
A spokeswoman for the Duke of York 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 has declined to comment on the reports.
According to Le Temps, a sum of nearly £5m was due to be paid at the end of 2019, which has since risen to £6.7m - the equivalent of around eight million Swiss francs.
It is understood that Andrew and his ex-wife had planned to sell the chalet and use the proceeds to clear any outstanding debt.
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Andrew stepped down from royal duties last year following what was dubbed a ‘car crash’ interview amid the scandal surrounding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, alleges the royal had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17.
Andrew, who strenuously denies the allegations, has faced calls to talk to the FBI and US prosecutors still investigating Epstein, who say the royal has declined to co-operate with them.
