In a surprising split from royal tradition, Prince William has hired the lawyers who represented his mother Princess Diana in her divorce from King Charles.
The move was reported by the Daily Mail, which said that William is no longer using Harbottle & Lewis, the law firm that has been associated with the royal family for decades.
Prince William is hiring Mishcon de Reya, which represented Princess Diana in her highly publicized divorce from Charles in 1996, just one year before her death in a Paris car accident.
Harbottle & Lewis represented the royal family during the News of the World royal phone-hacking scandal, which led to exposure of Prince William's voicemails and the eventual closure of the newspaper.
Williams' decision to part ways with the firm has been left its partner Gerrard Tyrrell -- one of King Charles' top advisers -- feeling snubbed.
The older of King Charles' two sons, William is heir apparent to the British throne and is often seen as a more traditional figure than his controversial brother Prince Harry.
But William's legal move is seen as evidence of his desire to forge his own identity within the rigid structure of the British monarchy.
According to the Mail, William's decision has stunned Buckingham Palace.
"William wants to do things differently from his father and wants to be seen to do them differently," a friend told the Daily Mail.
Another source said, "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."
The King and the Prince of Wales have often been seen as allies in the ongoing drama surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have repeatedly aired their grievances with the royal family since leaving their duties in 2020.
But William is no hide-bound traditionalist, Richard Eden of the Daily Mail noted.
"William’s decision to branch out from his father’s legal advisers shows that he is more than willing to shake up the status quo behind palace doors as well," Eden wrote.
In addition to navigating royal politics, William has had two loved ones battle cancer recently. His wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced earlier this year that her cancer is in remission, months after she stunned the world with the news of her illness.
The King is returning to his public duties after a recent hospital stay caused by side effects from ongoing cancer treatment.
