Prince Andrew told bankers concerned about payments to call palace, alleged fraudster claims

Prince Andrew and his family have been named in a High Court battle where Selman Turk is accused of defrauding a Turkish millionairess. Photo / AP

The Duke of York told bankers to call his Buckingham Palace office if there were any concerns over payments from an alleged fraudster.

Selman Turk assured officials looking into a £750,000 ($1.42m) "wedding gift" for Princess Beatrice that Prince Andrew had authorised him to pass on the details of palace aides to confirm.

The Duke and his family have been named in a High Court battle where Turk, 35, is accused of defrauding Nebahat Evyap Isbilen, a 77-year-old Turkish millionairess.

Out of around £40 million ($75.8m) he is alleged to have stolen from her, court papers suggest Turk facilitated payments to the Duke totalling £1.1million ($2.08m), to his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson of £225,000 ($426,000) and to Princess Eugenie of £25,000 ($47,000).

The Telegraph has revealed that the payments were made after Turk and the Duke were introduced in early 2019 by Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan gun smuggler.

Now transcripts seen by this newspaper relating to the largest transfer of £750,000 suggest that Turk and the Duke had planned in advance what to say if questioned.

When approached about the "unusual nature of the transaction", Turk told Stephen Buckland from Hampden Bank that the Prince had arranged the gift with Isbilen.

"What he said was, if there are any issues, they can call my office as well," Turk told the official.

He then offered to provide them a phone number for Amanda Thirsk, then Prince Andrew's private secretary, so that she could "explain", transcripts of the call show.

Buckland later called Thirsk and she assured him that the money was "a gift for the wedding, a wedding gift", adding: "What she and her family decide to do with it is really to do with them, isn't it?"

Help with passport

Isbilen has told the High Court that she had been told that the money was for help with her passport after she fled Turkey fearing political imprisonment and had no knowledge of a wedding gift.

When the Duke was contacted about the payment by lawyers acting for Isbilen in March 2021 he returned the money but did not respond to any questions about what it was paid for or what his connection was with Thirsk.

Thirsk has since said that she did not recall the phone conversation, adding that she "would not be involved in anything improper".

Turk, who was acting as a financial adviser for Isbilen, has denied her allegations and is fighting her High Court claim against him.

The Duke has so far declined to comment because of the court case.

The Duchess and Princess Eugenie have said that they were completely unaware of the allegations against Turk whilst friends of Princess Beatrice have said that she had no knowledge of the gift.