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A prominent member of the Austrian royal family said she is 'saddened' that she feels she has no option but to demand her ex-Labour party fundraising husband be sent to jail for breaching court orders. 

Princess Marie-Therese Elizabeth von Hohenberg Bailey claims her ex-husband Anthony Bailey, 52, has committed contempt of court.

Solicitor Julian Ribet, who represents 49-year-old Ms Hohenberg Bailey, said litigation began five years ago.

He explained: 'She is saddened that it has been necessary to bring these proceedings but has been left with no option.' 

Ms Hohenberg is the great granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination triggered World War I.

The 49-year-old applied for an in-person hearing which will be heard at the Family Division of the High Court in London later this month. Mr Bailey's lawyers argue he should not have to attend in person.

Judges have already heard how the pair are embroiled in a bitter battle over their shared millions. 

London's Central Family Court previously ruled Ms Bailey was eligible to walk away with more than £2million after the couple's split.

A High Court judge ruled on Thursday that Mr Bailey, a former PR consultant who raised millions for Tony Blair's Labour Party, must return to London to physically attend the committal hearing. 

Ms Hohenberg Bailey has accused her ex-husband Mr Bailey of breached orders made as a result of their prior litigation. Mr Bailey disputes all of the allegations made against him.

The pair had one son together, who was named after Ms Hohenberg's grandfather Maximilian, the son of Franz Ferdinand.   

Mr Bailey, who said he is now living abroad, told Mr Justice Cohen that he is suffering from ill-health and asked if he could attend via video-link.

Mr Justice Cohen, who oversaw a preliminary hearing in London, ruled against him.

The couple married in 2007 during a grand ceremony in front of 600 guests at the Abbey of St Peter's in Salzburg, followed by a reception at Salzburg Festival Hall, in a wedding which reportedly cost £1million. 

The Ducal House of Hohenberg is an Austrian noble family, descended from Countess Sophie Chotek who in 1900 married Archduke Franz Ferdinand. 

Lawyers representing Mr Bailey on Thursday told Mr Justice Cohen that he was in Portugal and should not have to physically attend that hearing.

They told Mr Justice Cohen, who was overseeing a preliminary hearing in London, that Mr Bailey could attend via remote link.

Ms Hohenberg Bailey says Mr Bailey should attend.

Detail of the case emerged at a hearing last year.

The maximum punishment for being found to have committed contempt of court is a prison sentence for up to two years, a fine of £2,500, or both. 

A one-time Tory supporter, Mr Bailey helped raise funds for both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and donated £50,000 to David Miliband's run for the Labour leadership.  

Ms Hohenberg Bailey had run up around £800,000 in legal bills, Justice Holman was told at an earlier hearing.

Mr Justice Holman added: 'I am very sympathetic to the situation of the wife here. She has got her order from the court and all she wants is her money.'

Lawyers representing Mr Bailey asked Mr Justice Holman to bar reporters from naming him in reports of the hearing, but Mr Justice Holman refused their application.

He said the hearing was being staged in public, in line with rules governing contempt applications, and Mr Bailey and his ex-wife could be named in reports of the case. 

Mr Bailey, a former pizza parlour worker turned public relations guru, donated £50,000 to Mr Miliband in 2010, five years after Labour's then treasurer, Lord Levy, rejected Mr Bailey's money over fears he was acting on behalf of businessmen from abroad.

Mr Bailey went on to start his own firm, Eligo International, which counts foreign banks and international statesmen on its books, offering them a 'discreet' service.

He has also worked with BAE, the arms manufacturer, which had its relationship with Saudi Arabia scrutinised by the Serious Fraud Office.

Mr Bailey was given an OBE for his 'interfaith' services in 2008 and counts Prince Charles as a friend. He was also close to the late Pope, John Paul II and is a devout Catholic.