An aristocrat who says he and his estranged wife should fight over money in a Scottish court instead of an English one has lost a Supreme Court battle.

Charles and Emma Villiers, who lived near Dumbarton and separated after 18 years of marriage, are divorcing in Scotland, but they disagree about whether arguments should be heard in an English or Scottish court.

Mr Villiers says that because divorce proceedings are taking place in Scotland, any fight over money should also be staged in Scotland.

His estranged wife, who now lives in England, disagrees.

Supreme Court justices ruled against Mr Villiers on Wednesday after analysing the dispute at a Supreme Court hearing in London.

Mr Villiers had appealed to the Supreme Court after losing fights in the High Court and Court of Appeal in London.

Lawyers say the ruling could have implications for other divorcing couples.

A judge based in the Family Division of the High Court in London began considering the dispute in 2015.

Mrs Justice Parker said any fight over the division of money should take place in England.

In 2018, three Court of Appeal judges in London upheld that decision and dismissed an appeal by Mr Villiers, saying divorce proceedings in Scotland and a money fight in England were not “related actions”.

Mr and Mrs Villiers are listed on peerage genealogy website www.thepeerage.com.

Lawyers representing Mr Villiers say he is a relative of the Duchess of Cornwall.