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A £100m divorce settlement row involving Brecqhou billionaire Sir Frederick Barclay and his ex-wife Lady Hiroko Barclay could see his nephews called into court to give evidence.
Aidan and Howard Barclay - beneficiaries of their late fathers' half of the Barclay brothers fortune - are considered to hold information which could lead to a decision over how much Sir Frederick is ordered to pay his ex-wife.
Their father, Sir David, died in January 2021 aged 86. His now-88-year-old twin separated from his wife after 34-years of marriage and he was told in May 2021 to pay her £100 million.
That money has not yet been paid and he has previously been threatened with a prison sentence for contempt of court.
Last month, London's High Court heard how Sir Frederick had made an offer to pay towards the millions of pounds he owes Lady Hiroko but the details were kept confidential.
Court proceedings were adjourned until this week, when they resumed yesterday.
The judge who is overseeing the litigation at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court has now said his nephews could shed light on Sir Frederick's financial position and his ability to pay his divorce settlement. The pair may be called to the court to give evidence in person.
The Evening Standard reported that the court heard how Aidan and Howard Barclay now have day-to-day responsibility for 'group business' which includes commercial interests such as The Telegraph Media Group and the Ritz Hotel along with Brecqhou and the family's business interests in Sark.
The paper reported the judge had said they could “give evidence about the means of Sir Frederick” and said such a move could be a “constructive way forward”. However the court also heard that the pair's enthusiasm to engage in correspondence with their uncle and his advisers "has been less than wholehearted”.
Previous court hearings on a different matter revealed the distrust between family members when Sir Frederick accused his nephews of 'bugging' him.
He had told a court hearing that his brothers' three sons - Aidan, Howard, and Alistair - had secretly recorded conversations held at the Ritz Hotel.
In 2020, Sir Frederick claimed those conversations were used by his nephews to sell the hotel - which was owned by the twins - for half its market price. He claimed the deal was made without his consent or agreement.
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