Prince William appointed the law firm once trusted by his late mother, Princess Diana , to represent him and his family in a move seen as a symbol of his growing independence from his father’s legacy.
The decision to instruct Mishcon de Reya , the firm that acted for Diana during her bitter divorce from then-Prince Charles, marks a significant break from royal tradition. Until now, William had relied on Harbottle & Lewis , the firm long associated with King Charles, and in particular, its renowned media lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell.
‘William wanted to strike out on his own,’ a source said, quoted by the Daily Mail.
‘He did not want to continue using his father’s lawyers. It’s as simple as that. He wants to be his own man.’
The move has stirred conversation within the legal landscape, reportedly leaving Harbottle & Lewis disappointed. The firm has served the Royal Family for decades and played a key role in handling the 2006 News of the World royal phone-hacking scandal, during which both William and Prince Harry were targeted.
In contrast, Mishcon de Reya’s association with the late Princess Diana runs deep. In 1995, Diana confided in her solicitor, Lord Mishcon, that she feared being killed in a staged car accident. After her tragic death in 1997 in Paris, Lord Mishcon handed police a typed note detailing her fears, including concerns about a pre-planned car crash or efforts to damage her mentally. The note was locked away for years, unseen by French investigators or even her own family.
Now, her eldest son has turned to the same firm.
Mishcon’s deputy chairman, Anthony Julius, who personally handled Diana’s divorce, is also expected to be closely involved. Julius worked with William before, serving as a founding trustee and vice-president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until it closed in 2012.
William’s choice is being viewed as part of a broader effort to carve his own path. In 2023, he gave a headline-grabbing interview to a national newspaper on homelessness, published a just after the Trooping the Colour, diverting attention from the King’s first birthday parade.
Since inheriting the £1 billion Duchy of Cornwall estate in 2022, which now provides him with an income of over £20 million a year, William has shown he is not bound by convention or constraint.
“William wants to do things differently from his father, and wants to be seen to do them differently,” a friend told the Mail.
Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the matter.
The decision to instruct Mishcon de Reya , the firm that acted for Diana during her bitter divorce from then-Prince Charles, marks a significant break from royal tradition. Until now, William had relied on Harbottle & Lewis , the firm long associated with King Charles, and in particular, its renowned media lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell.
‘William wanted to strike out on his own,’ a source said, quoted by the Daily Mail.
‘He did not want to continue using his father’s lawyers. It’s as simple as that. He wants to be his own man.’
The move has stirred conversation within the legal landscape, reportedly leaving Harbottle & Lewis disappointed. The firm has served the Royal Family for decades and played a key role in handling the 2006 News of the World royal phone-hacking scandal, during which both William and Prince Harry were targeted.
In contrast, Mishcon de Reya’s association with the late Princess Diana runs deep. In 1995, Diana confided in her solicitor, Lord Mishcon, that she feared being killed in a staged car accident. After her tragic death in 1997 in Paris, Lord Mishcon handed police a typed note detailing her fears, including concerns about a pre-planned car crash or efforts to damage her mentally. The note was locked away for years, unseen by French investigators or even her own family.
Now, her eldest son has turned to the same firm.
Mishcon’s deputy chairman, Anthony Julius, who personally handled Diana’s divorce, is also expected to be closely involved. Julius worked with William before, serving as a founding trustee and vice-president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until it closed in 2012.
William’s choice is being viewed as part of a broader effort to carve his own path. In 2023, he gave a headline-grabbing interview to a national newspaper on homelessness, published a just after the Trooping the Colour, diverting attention from the King’s first birthday parade.
Since inheriting the £1 billion Duchy of Cornwall estate in 2022, which now provides him with an income of over £20 million a year, William has shown he is not bound by convention or constraint.
“William wants to do things differently from his father, and wants to be seen to do them differently,” a friend told the Mail.
Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the matter.
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