William and Kate make bold legal move

The Prince of Wales’ bold move has raised eyebrows – and sent a strong message about his future.

IN LONDON

Prince William has once again had a major break with royal tradition – this time, by hiring his late mother’s divorce lawyers.

The 42-year-old Prince of Wales has made it clear in recent years that he is hoping to carve his own path, and according to the Daily Mail, his decision to branch off away from King Charles’ legal team is a bold step in that direction.

The late Princess Diana was very close with her lawyer, Lord Mischon, the owner of the Mischon de Reya firm, and deputy chairman Anthony Julius represented her throughout her very public divorce from then-Prince Charles in 1996, reports The Sun.

Diana reportedly even wrote in a letter to Lord Mischon that she was concerned she would be murdered in a fake car accident – information which was then passed on by him to the Metropolitan Police.

William has employed the same legal firm used by his late mother. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Diana and Charles divorced in 1996. Picture: Tim Graham/Getty Images

In the document, she wrote that she was terrified “efforts would be made if not to get rid of her by some accident in her car, such as a pre-prepared brake failure, at least to see that she was so injured or damaged as to be declared unbalanced [in her mind]”.

Just two years later, Diana tragically died in a car accident in Paris alongside Dodi Fayed.

Nearly thirty years later, her son has now employed her lawyers for his family, ending his longstanding relationship with Harbottle & Lewis, Charles’ preferred legal team of many years.

“William wanted to strike out on his own,” a source told the 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. William wants to do things differently from his father, and wants to be seen to do them differently.”

Kensington Palace has not commented on the matter.

It’s just the latest sign that William is breaking from the royal mold. Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

It’s just the latest sign of William’s determination to break from the mold in his royal career.

Both he and Kate have shown a more candid side to themselves than their predecessors in recent years, particularly around the Princess of Wales’ cancer battle. Shortly after Kate confirmed she had finished chemotherapy treatment in a deeply emotional video message, William told reporters in Cape Town it had been “the hardest year” of his life.

He also explained that he wanted to continue the work of his predecessors but in a way that was done “differently” for his generation.

“I can only describe what I’m trying to do, and that’s I’m trying to do it differently and I’m trying to do it for my generation.

“And to give you more of an understanding around it, I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘r’ in the royal, if you like. That’s maybe a better way of saying it.

“So it’s more about impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening and helping people.

“And I’m also going to throw empathy in there as well, because I really care about what I do. It helps impact people’s lives. And I think we could do with some more empathetic leadership around the world.

“So that’s what I’m trying to bring. That’s what Catherine is trying to bring as well.”

Originally published as William and Kate make bold legal move