Buckingham Palace shares royal update following Prince of Wales' decision to break from father’s legal team
Buckingham Palace has released a significant update from King Charles’s schedule, as the monarch met with the new Commonwealth Secretary-General at Windsor Castle—shortly after Prince William made headlines for hiring his late mother’s former divorce lawyers.
A statement posted to the royal family's official social media channels featured a smiling King Charles posing with The Hon. Shirley Botchwey, who was recently appointed Commonwealth Secretary-General. The post read:
"The King, as Head of the Commonwealth, received The Hon. Shirley Botchwey upon her appointment as the new Commonwealth Secretary-General at Windsor Castle this morning."
The update comes just days after The Mail reported that the Prince of Wales has enlisted the services of Mishcon de Reya—a firm that represented Princess Diana during her divorce—marking a departure from Harbottle & Lewis, the firm traditionally favored by King Charles.
One royal insider explained the reasoning behind William's decision: “He 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 move is seen by some as part of William’s wider effort to carve out a distinct leadership style as heir to the throne. “He wants to do things differently from his father—and to be seen to do them differently,” a family source added.
As the King continues his public duties while undergoing treatment for cancer, Prince William’s growing independence suggests a clear transition is already underway within the monarchy’s inner workings.
