Prince William Switches to Princess Diana's Former Law Firm in Deliberate

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Normandy in 2024. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY [version]).

Prince William has retained Mishcon de Reya - the law firm that represented Princess Diana during her divorce from King Charles in the 1990s - replacing the royal family’s longstanding legal firm Harbottle & Lewis, which has guided the monarchy through scandals ranging from divorce settlements to the phone-hacking saga involving William and Prince Harry. Sources close to the prince told PEOPLE via The Daily Mail that the move was intentional and unrelated to any legal trouble: “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.” A second source added: “William wants to do things differently from his father and wants to be seen to do them differently.”

Not a Marital Signal

Sources explicitly stated the switch is not an indication of discord between William and Princess Kate. Instead, it reflects a broader strategic push toward independence as William moves closer to eventually assuming the throne. The optics, however, remain striking: Mishcon de Reya’s work for Diana famously secured her residence at Kensington Palace, access to state apartments, and a reported lump-sum settlement of $22.5 million.

William’s Vision for the Monarchy

The legal switch aligns with public statements William has made about his approach to the crown. In a 2024 BBC interview, he said: “I’m trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation… I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘R’ in the royal, if you like, that’s maybe a better way of saying it.” The decision to move away from his father’s legal team is widely seen as the latest concrete step in that direction.

References: Prince William Hires Princess Diana’s Lawyers in Surprising Break from King Charles | Prince William Just Hired Princess Diana’s Divorce Lawyers-But It’s Not for the Reason You Think | Prince William Has Hired Princess Diana’s Divorce Lawyers. Here’s Why | ‘Smaller R in royal’ - Prince William wants to do things differently