Prince Andrew sells house to Kazakh mogul

LONDON, May 25 (UPI) -- Britain's Prince Andrew has sold his former home to a business associate from Kazakhstan for more than its listed value, a spokesman for the prince said.

Andrew received nearly $30 million -- $6 million more than the asking price -- for Sunninghill Park, a 12-bedroom mansion in southeastern England, The Sunday Times of London reported. The buyer was Kenes Rakishev, 29, chief executive of an energy company and son-in-law of a former Kazakh prime minister, the British newspaper said.

The Times said Andrew spends much time in Kazakhstan where, in his official capacity as an unpaid roving ambassador for British foreign trade, he has been on official business three times since 2003, although he travels there more often on private excursions.

The prince's spokesman told the newspaper there was no connection between the sale of Sunninghill Park and Andrew's role as a trade representative.

"The sale of Sunninghill Park was a straight commercial transaction," the spokesman said. "There were no side deals and absolutely no arrangement for the Duke of York to benefit otherwise or to commit to any other commercial arrangement. Any suggestion otherwise is completely false."