Prince William hires Princess Diana's divorce lawyers in 'palace shock'
Prince William has reportedly instructed the law firm chosen by Princess Diana to handle her divorce from the then Prince Charles to act for him and his family when they need legal representation
Prince William has reportedly turned to the law firm which handled his late mother Princess Diana's divorce to represent him and his family. The Prince of Wales is said to have hired Mishcon de Reya - the same firm used by Diana during her divorce from the then Prince Charles for legal representation.
The apparent move comes in a break from tradition as the Royal Family previously used the firm Harbottle and Lewis, with Gerrard Tyrrell, a partner at the Firm, a long-time adviser of King Charles. For decades, the royals have used Harbottle and Lewis to help them with legal matters. It is said the decision shows heir to the throne William wants to branch out from his father and is willing to "shake up the status quo before palace doors".
A source told the Daily Mail: "William wanted to strike out on his own. He did not want to continue using his father's lawyers. It's as simple as that. He wants to be his own man." Kensington Palace has not commented.
The current deputy chairman of Mischon is Anthony Julius, who was chosen by Diana to be her legal representative when she divorced Charles. He was one of the founding trustees of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until it closed in 2012.
William hinted he wants to take a different approach to royal life during an interview at his annual Earthshot Prize Awards in South Africa last year. There he said his approach was "royal with a small r" as indicated he wanted to do away with some of the formalities associated with the monarchy.
He also said he wanted to focus on making an "impact" as opposed to attaching his name to dozens of charities and initiatives. This is a major break from King Charles and the late Queen, both of whom have held hundreds of patronages over the last few decades.
Meanwhile, the location of this year's Earthshot Prize Awards has been revealed - and it is heading to Brazil. The prince's attendance at the Earthshot Prize is expected to be confirmed nearer the time but if the visit coincides with the gathering of world leaders for the UN event the future king could be among them.
To mark the announcement, William said: "2025 marks the midway point of the Earthshot decade and each year we’ve witnessed the remarkable power of human ingenuity in addressing our planet’s most pressing challenges.
"As we bring the Earthshot Prize to Brazil, a nation rich in biodiversity and environmental innovation, we are seeing fresh momentum for new ideas to create healthier and safer ways to live our lives. It is an honour to profile the people making our world a better place for us and for our children."
William is the driving force behind the annual environmental competition and has attended all the presentation events since launching the initiative. Cape Town staged the most recent awards ceremony last November after prize-giving events were held in Singapore in 2023, Boston in 2022 and London’s Alexandra Palace in 2021.