British actress Sophie Turner has initiated legal action against her ex-partner, American singer Joe Jonas, seeking the return of their two children to their “habitual residence” in England.
The couple, who announced their divorce earlier this month after over four years of marriage, had initially described the separation as “amicable.”
However, Turner’s legal team filed a petition on Thursday (21), accusing Jonas, 34, of “wrongful detention” of their children in New York.
The singer is seeking joint custody of their two daughters, named Willa (born 2020) and their second child (born last year, but not publicly named).
According to Turner’s legal petition, which the BBC has reviewed, she and Jonas had established England as their “permanent home” in April. The documents contend that Jonas inaccurately claimed in his divorce application that the children, who possess dual citizenship, had resided in Florida for the six months before he filed.
The petition states that Turner and Jonas had mutually agreed to allow the children to travel to the US in August, where their father was on tour, under a “temporary arrangement.”
The court filing further alleges that the couple met late last week to discuss their separation, during which Turner reaffirmed their “agreed plan” for the children to return “home to England.” However, Jonas purportedly refused to return their passports or send them to the UK.
Turner is currently reported to be in New York with the children.
In response to these allegations, a representative for Jonas informed CNN that their meeting on Sunday had been “cordial,” and he believed they had “reached an understanding that they would work together towards an amicable co-parenting setup.”
The spokesperson emphasized that the children were born in the US and have spent the majority of their lives there, making them American citizens.
They concluded by expressing Jonas’s hope that Turner would reconsider her “harsh legal position” and opt for a more “constructive and private manner” of moving forward, reiterating that his primary concern is the well-being of their children.
Sophie Turner is renowned for her portrayal of Sansa Stark in the television series Game of Thrones. She has also appeared in The Staircase and the X-Men film series.
Earlier in the week, Turner was photographed having dinner with pop star Taylor Swift, who previously dated Joe Jonas in 2008. These images went viral on online gossip blogs.
Joe Jonas, both as a solo artist and as part of the Jonas Brothers group, is known for hits like “Just In Love,” “This is Me” (a duet with Demi Lovato), and songs like “SOS,” “Burnin’ Up,” “Sucker,” and “Year 3000.”
