Prince Philip’s estate faced with new legal battle over secret will

The decision to have the late Prince Philip’s estate hearings in private, including the sealing of his will, is being challenged by The Guardian newspaper at the Court of Appeal, as per The Daily Record.

Philip, the longest-serving consort in British history, died in April last year at the age of 99. As per royal tradition, upon the death of a senior member of the family, an application to seal their will is made to the President of the Family Division of the High Court.

This means that the will of a royal family member is kept hidden from public view; in conveyance of which, the current president, Sir Andrew McFarlane, heard both Prince Philip’s lawyers as well as the Attorney General, representative of the public.

Now, a year after the first hearing in July, 2021, Guardian has challenged that it shouldn't be held in private, branding it “disproportionate and unjustified”.

The Daily Record reported that Guardian’s legal team argued in court that the High Court “erred in failing to consider any lesser interference with open justice than a private hearing from which accredited members of the press should be excluded.”

"As a result, the decision to hear the application to seal up the will in private was disproportionate and unjustified.”

Lawyers also attempted to justify the media’s interest in Prince Philip’s estate, saying: “These are fundamental matters of public interest concerning royal family members and the Sovereign in a constitutional monarchy.”

No argument against the decision to seal Philip’s will for 90 years has been made by The Guardian.