Prince Andrew finally sells Swiss ski chalet to Brit family for £19m

Prince Andrew finally sells Swiss ski chalet to British family for £19m after more than a year of wrangling over ‘business debt’

• Duke of York, 62, had been attempting to sell the chalet in Verbier since 2020
• He is reported to have sold it to a British family for £19m after sale went through
• Selling of chalet was said to have been to help pay Virginia Roberts settlement

Prince Andrew has finally sold his Swiss ski chalet to a British family ‘for £19million’, according to reports, after more than a year of legal wrangling over a ‘£1.6million business debt’. 

The Duke of York, 62, had been trying to sell the seven-bedroom property in Verbier since 2020, as the costs of his sexual abuse civil case, brought by Virginia Roberts in New York, began to mount.

Ms Roberts had accused the late Queen’s son of forcing her to have sex with him on three separate occasions in 2001, when she was 17. He always denied the claims and a settlement was agreed last year, believed to have been in the region of $12million (£9.8million). 

Andrew had hoped to sell Chalet Helora sooner to help cover the costs, but a freezing order was placed on the sell to guarantee that a Swiss couple, with whom the Duke struck up a business arrangement, would receive the reported £1.6m he owed them.

Prince Andrew has finally sold his Swiss ski chalet (pictured) to a British family ‘for £19million’, according to reports, after more than a year of legal wrangling over a ‘£1.6million business debt’

Prince Andrew on a skiing holiday in Verbier, Switzerland in 2007

However it is believed the order did not block the sale, as a spokeswoman for Andrew told the Telegraph last night: ‘The sale of the Duke and Duchess of York’s Swiss chalet has now gone through.’ 

The legal issue surrounding the £1.6m debt is reportedly ongoing and the disputed amount will be withheld until the matter is resolved.

The chalet comes with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, sun terrace, bar and opulent entertainment area. 

In June, Andrew was branded an ‘absolute fool’ by the French socialite who sold him the property in 2014.

The disgraced royal had previously owed Isabelle de Rouvre more than £6million for the chalet until last year.

The Duke of York, 62, had been trying to sell the seven-bedroom property in Verbier since 2020, as the costs of his sexual abuse civil case, brought by Virginia Roberts in New York, began to mount. Pictured: The Duke of York staying at Verbier

Miss de Rouvre said she pitied the couple who had a debt with the prince, knowing the stress she had experienced trying to recoup the money owed to her.

She said: ‘It was a horrible experience. I do not understand how he operates and I feel very sorry for people who are involved with him in business.’

The long-running battle with Miss de Rouvre over the £6.6million debt was only resolved last year.

She said: ‘It’s really rather unbelievable. He caused me such stress and now it’s claimed other people are owed money too.

‘They [Andrew and Sarah] are so crazy. He [Andrew] is an absolute fool and I just cannot understand how he goes about his life.’

Sources in June confirmed that removal vans from the UK were at the Verbier property were removing items on behalf of the duke

Miss de Rouvre had been forced into a legal battle two years ago to recoup the vast sum.

She had sold Chalet Helora to her then-friends Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 2014 for £18million. But they failed to pay a cash amount of £5million. 

She agreed it could be deferred until December 2019, with interest accruing, but later accused the pair of failing to honour the agreement.

Removal vans from a UK firm given a Royal Warrant by the Queen in 1981 were spotted at the property in June, with the chalet rumoured to have been sold months prior. 

Sources at the time confirmed they were removing items on behalf of the duke. 

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