The Barclays paid 2.3 million pounds in 1993 for the English Channel island of Brecqhou. They erected a mock-Gothic castle, complete with almost 100 rooms, gilded turrets and a helipad.
The court proceedings add to the brother’s recent legal battles. In July, David lost a libel suit against a little-known French playwright who satirized the lives of him and his brother. David’s lawyer said at the time that he would probably appeal.
Three months later, Frederick was back in a divorce court with his estranged wife. A judge who oversaw the preliminary hearing placed limits on what can be reported, but the case may shed light on the Barclay family’s finances if it reaches a public decision.
David is the older sibling by 10 minutes. Born to Scottish parents, they spent their early days in a west London household so close to a railroad that trains would rattle the windows. After leaving school at 16, David and Frederick started their careers in the accounts department of General Electric Co., according to “The Twin Enigma,” a 2010 book by Vivienne Lewin. They teamed up in the 1960s to turn old boarding houses into hotels and moved into breweries and casinos, marking the beginning of their business empire.
This article was provided Bloomberg News.