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21 January 2022 / Michael L Nash
Issue: 7963 / Categories: Features , Constitutional law
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Probate, princes & privilege

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Michael L Nash explores the secretive history surrounding the sealing of royal wills

The need—or the desire—for privacy has always been an element of the actions of those in high places.

The presence of privilege also has been accepted in any hierarchical society, which most societies are. Parliament in the UK, for example, is no stranger to privileges, nor any of the other components of the establishment.

The point is this: people have become much more aware of their rights, or what they perceive as their rights. One of these is that everyone is equal and has the same rights. So, when it is known that for most people their wills fall into the public domain, and can be read by everyone, there is disquiet and questions when a few wills are sealed and kept from general view.

It is equally arguable, as was done in the recent case concerning the will of the late Prince Philip, that everyone’s wills should be sealed and kept out of the public domain. Counsel

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NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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