Sophie Turner, best known for her role in "Game of Thrones," has taken legal action against her former husband, Joe Jonas, seeking the return of their two youngest daughters to England.
Court documents, as disclosed by NBC News, reveal that a petition was filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, September 21, alleging that the daughters have been unjustly kept in New York, away from their "habitual residence" in the United Kingdom.
The documents assert that the couple had established England as their permanent residence in April 2023, with the intention of their daughters attending school there. It is mentioned that they had initially rented an apartment in May 2023 and planned to move to a permanent home in December of the same year. However, due to relationship tensions and travel adjustments, the girls ended up accompanying Joe Jonas on his band's U.S. tour that began in July, while Sophie Turner began filming a new drama series in the United Kingdom.
Despite this arrangement, Joe Jonas filed for divorce in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on September 1. Turner learned of the divorce petition through the media on September 5. Following the divorce filing, the couple supposedly met on September 17 to discuss their separation, during which Turner insisted on the return of her daughters to England. However, Jonas, holding their passports, reportedly refused to comply.
The court documents argue that by preventing the daughters from returning to England with Turner, Joe Jonas is violating her custody rights under English law. This legal action is also based on the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, which outlines procedures for the return of minors who are unlawfully removed or retained outside their native country.
Joe Jonas had initially claimed that the daughters had been residing in Florida for six months before the separation announcement. He argued that since he had been caring for the children "most of the time" while his band was touring, he sought joint custody.
According to a representative for Joe Jonas, a court order issued by Florida prohibited both parents from relocating the children after Joe filed for divorce. Turner received this order on September 6.
The representative stated that Joe and Sophie had a cordial meeting in New York following the divorce filing, during which Sophie spent time with the girls. Joe left the meeting with the understanding that they had agreed to work on an amicable co-parenting arrangement. However, less than 24 hours later, Sophie expressed her desire to permanently take the girls to the UK.
While Joe Jonas agrees to his daughters being raised in both the United States and the United Kingdom, his representative emphasized that the girls are American citizens, having been born in the United States and spent most of their lives there. The representative stated that Sophie's petition aims to move the divorce process to the UK and permanently distance the girls from the United States.
Regarding the divorce, a source told TMZ that lifestyle differences, including Sophie Turner's preference for socializing and going out, played a role in Joe Jonas's decision to end the marriage. Another source revealed that Jonas was unsympathetic to Turner after the birth of their second daughter last year, insisting that she attend events and get out more, despite her reluctance to be photographed.
On September 6, the couple issued a joint statement on their Instagram accounts, announcing their mutual decision to end their four-year marriage amicably. They requested privacy for themselves and their daughters.
Turner and Jonas began dating in 2016 and married in 2019. They welcomed their first daughter, Willa, in July 2020, and their second daughter, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, in 2022. Representatives for Turner and Jonas have been contacted for comments.
