The Barclay twins' nephews bugged the Ritz conservatory and recorded their uncle's business talks

Identical twins David and Frederick Barclay built a fortune held through family trusts that owned the Ritz Hotel, the Telegraph newspapers and the Very Group. In January 2020 Frederick's side found that David's son Alistair Barclay had planted recording devices in the Ritz conservatory, where Frederick held business meetings. Frederick and his daughter Amanda sued David's sons Alistair, Aidan and Howard, Aidan's son Andrew and an executive. The defendants admitted the recordings held private information and accepted liability for general damages, but said bugging was "necessary and reasonable" to protect the Barclay Group. The Ritz was sold in 2020 to a Qatari investor^†. Separately, in May 2021 a judge ordered Frederick to pay his ex-wife, Lady Hiroko Barclay, £100 million after a 34-year marriage. In July 2022 he was found in contempt for failing to pay about £245,000 in her legal fees and maintenance. In 2023 her lawyer told the court there was "still no plan for payment of the £100 million." In 2023 Lloyds Banking Group took control of the Telegraph over unpaid debts^†.