Prince Philip's Will To Be Kept Secret For 90 Years, Rules British Court.
A judge from London's High Court issued
the ruling on Sept. 16.
The stated purpose of the ruling is to maintain the dignity of the British monarchy.
The degree of publicity that publication would be likely to attract would be very extensive and wholly contrary to the aim of maintaining the dignity of
the Sovereign, Andrew McFarlane, London's High Court Family Division, via CNN.
[It shall be sealed and] no copy of the will should be made for the record or kept on the
court file, Andrew McFarlane, London's High Court Family Division, via CNN.
Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was married to
Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years.
He died in April, having lived
for nearly a century.
The ruling, granting privacy to Philip's will, is in keeping with British legal tradition.
Despite the fact that the petition for secrecy
was submitted in private.
the judge explained that making
his ruling public was "necessary.".
[Publicizing the ruling is a] necessary and proportionate intrusion into the private affairs of Her Majesty and the
Royal Family.., Andrew McFarlane, London's High Court Family Division, via CNN.
... to make public the fact that an application to seal the will of HRH The Prince Philip... , Andrew McFarlane, London's High Court Family Division, via CNN.
... has been made and granted in private, and to explain the underlying reasons, Andrew McFarlane, London's High Court Family Division, via CNN.
The ruling comes at a time when the
Royal Family is under increased scrutiny
for a number of reasons.
including internal issues following Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew's connections to Jeffrey Epstein