The court of appeal has ruled that a diplomatic immunity claim from a Saudi billionaire and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) representative was irrelevant in a maintenance battle.
Sheikh Walid Juffali is being sued by his estranged wife Christina Estrada, who is fighting for a share of his £4bn ($5.7bn) fortune.
The billionaire tried to use his title as permanent representative to the IMO for St Lucia in order to avoid having his case heard in front of a UK court.
His view was backed this week from the UK's foreign secretary Philip Hammond, who wrote a lengthy submission to claim that the judge had erred in his approach to the case.
In early February, a judge rejected his immunity claim and said his IMO involvement on behalf of the tiny Caribbean island was “an entirely artificial construct”.
Juffali appealed against the immunity rejection but the court gave Estrada the right to claim a slice of his fortune earlier today.
The Saudi businessman has inherited one of the largest commercial enterprises in the country.
