Prince William has quietly severed ties with his father's longtime legal team in a surprise decision that could have lasting implications for internal royal family dynamics. The Prince of Wales, 42, has retained Mishcon de Reya, the legal firm that represented his late mother, Princess Diana, in her high-profile divorce from King Charles in 1996, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The move marks a significant break from royal tradition. For decades, the royal family has relied on Harbottle & Lewis and its veteran partner, media law specialist Gerrard Tyrrell, for legal counsel. The firm guided the monarchy through some of its most sensitive crises, including the 2006 News of the World phone hacking scandal that saw both Prince William and Prince Harry targeted.
According to The Daily Mail, William's choice reflects a desire "to be his own man." A royal insider told the publication, "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." Another source added, "William wants to do things differently from his father, and wants to be seen to do them differently."
Mishcon de Reya's deputy chairman, Anthony Julius, who represented Princess Diana during her contentious divorce proceedings, maintains strong ties to the royal legacy. Julius also served as a founding trustee and vice president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until its closure in 2012.
The appointment has been met with dismay inside Harbottle & Lewis. Tyrrell, one of the monarchy's most trusted legal hands, was reportedly blindsided by the change. Royal observers suggest the decision could signal a shift in the future king's approach to public and private governance as he carves out an independent legal and leadership identity.
The emotional resonance of the move is unmistakable. Princess Diana was said to have confided in Lord Mishcon fears of being killed in a staged car accident. Those fears were documented and passed to the Metropolitan Police but were not disclosed to French authorities until six years after her 1997 death in Paris alongside Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.
William's selection of Mishcon de Reya reinforces recent efforts to modernize his public image and set himself apart from his predecessors. In January, he offered a rare public expression of affection for his wife, Princess Kate, an unprecedented gesture for a senior royal and a move widely seen as an effort to soften the monarchy's "stuffy" image.
Last year, William shared his vision of a "royal with a small r," suggesting that he intends to maintain tradition while reimagining the monarchy's role for a new generation. He said he hopes to lead in a way that is "different for my generation" and called for more "empathetic leaders" in global public life.
