Judge set for latest stage of Sir Frederick Barclay’s cash fight with ex-wife

A judge is preparing to oversee the latest stage of a long-running High Court fight over money between retired businessman Sir Frederick Barclay and his ex-wife.

Sir Frederick, 88, and Lady Hiroko Barclay, who is also in her 80s, are due to appear at a hearing overseen by Sir Jonathan Cohen in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Tuesday.

In May 2021, Sir Jonathan ordered Sir Frederick to hand Lady Hiroko lump sums totalling £100 million following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage.

Sir Jonathan, who has heard that the money has yet to be paid, said then that Sir Frederick had behaved in a “reprehensible” fashion during the litigation.

Lady Hiroko, who petitioned for divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, has complained Sir Frederick had not paid her as ordered – and alleged that he was in contempt of court.

Sir Jonathan subsequently ruled that Sir Frederick was in contempt as a result of failing to pay about £245,000 he owed his ex-wife for legal fees and maintenance.

The judge said, at a hearing in March, that he did not know why the dispute had not “concluded” in some “consensual way”.

Sir Frederick and his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, were among the UK’s most high-profile businessmen.

Sir David died aged 86 in January 2021.

Their interests included the Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London.

The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco.

Sir Jonathan has been told that Sir David’s sons, Aidan and Howard Barclay, now have day-to-day responsibility for “group business”.

They could give evidence about Sir Frederick’s means.

Sir Frederick has said has been unable to pay Lady Hiroko because his nephews “hold the purse strings”.

He has argued that a trust which could provide him with money is being “starved” of “funds from the family business”.