The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, is being sued by her former solicitors over alleged unpaid legal bills, according to reports. London firm Davenport Lyons represented the Duchess in a deal that was set to turn her children’s books into a TV series. The firm also helped to create and protect a trademark under which the Duchess planned to market a range of “lifestyle” goods on satellite shopping channel QVC. However, despite the TV project not progressing, the Duchess was left with a considerable legal bill, according to UK newspaper, the Daily Mail.
It is now alleged that Ferguson has failed to pay more than £200,000 in fees owed to the firm. According to the legal writ, obtained by the Daily Mail, eight invoices ranging from £12,000 to £65,000 were sent to “the defendant” between April and July last year. Court documents list her address as Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, the official residence of her ex-husband Prince Andrew, where she has lived for several years. According to the report, the legal firm has offered her a “repayment plan”, but it is believed that Ferguson is planning to contest the case, although according to the Daily Mail, if she loses, she could be declared bankrupt.
The Duchess has a month to formally serve her defence. Tick tock, tick tock...
-Alicia Coyle
