Fiona Shackleton
Encyclopedia
Fiona Shackleton, Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia LVO
(born 26 May 1956) is an English
solicitor
, who has represented members of the British Royal Family
and celebrities, including Sir Paul McCartney
and The Duke of York
. Her charm and resoluteness earned her the nickname "Steel Magnolia".
, she is the daughter of Jonathan Charkham, an advisor to The Bank of England and economist, and Moira Elizabeth Frances Salmon, daughter of Barnett Alfred and Molly Salmon. Her mother's family, the Salmon family, were co-owners of the J. Lyons & Co. cornerhouse empire.
Through the Salmon family, Shackleton is a cousin to Nigella
and Dominic Lawson
, and George Monbiot
. Shackleton was educated at Benenden School
in Kent
. She had ambitions to be a doctor
, but was discouraged because she was thought not to be clever enough. She attended Exeter University, graduating with a third class degree in law. Shackleton then trained as a cordon bleu chef
, and became an executive caterer for boardrooms before training to be a solicitor. In July 2010, she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Exeter in the form of an LL.D.
On 21 December 2010, the Queen created Shackleton a life peer
as Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, of Belgravia in the City of Westminster. She will sit as a Conservative
in the House of Lords
.
, co-founded the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an invitation only organization which now consists of over 500 of the world's leading family lawyers. Her first high profile case was that of The Duke
and Duchess of York
. Her handling of the case for the Duke so impressed Lord Goodman
, he recommended her to The Prince of Wales
to handle his divorce.
Shackleton joined Payne Hicks Beach in 2001 as a partner. Shackleton is reputed to have fallen out of royal favour in the aftermath of the Paul Burrell
affair
and the suggestions of a cover up over allegations of a homosexual rape within the royal household, put Shackleton in her own words: "Under pressure for a solution to be reached more speedily than I was able to achieve". She was criticised in the Peat Report on the proceedings.
In the 2005 the New Year Honours List, she was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
and remains solicitor for The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry
.
In early October 2011, the Daily Telegraph reported that Shackleton has been overcharging several of her clients, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of pounds. One bill to Madonna
had been 'marked up' by ₤100,000. Shackleton expressed relief when the singer agreed to pay the ₤221,000 bill, which had been marked up. In a private email to a colleague she wrote: "This is good news as I was worried that they were cross about the bill," she wrote, adding: "We obviously shd have asked for more?!!!!! F x." Sir Paul McCartney also had at least one bill marked up by Shackleton from ₤14,000 to ₤150,000. When interviewed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority about her billing practices, Shackleton admitted being "slack with time sheets".
In 2006 Shackleton won an apology and damages from Associated Newspapers
over suggestions of impropriety in the Charles and Diana divorce case.
In 2011 the Daily Telegraph reports that Shackleton has overcharged at least 9 of her clients by an estimated ₤659,000.
. The couple have two daughters, and the family lives in Kensington
. Shackleton has revealed in interviews that in her personal view, divorce is the worst case scenario in any relationship.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(born 26 May 1956) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
, who has represented members of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
and celebrities, including Sir Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. Her charm and resoluteness earned her the nickname "Steel Magnolia".
Biography
Born Fiona Sara Charkham in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, she is the daughter of Jonathan Charkham, an advisor to The Bank of England and economist, and Moira Elizabeth Frances Salmon, daughter of Barnett Alfred and Molly Salmon. Her mother's family, the Salmon family, were co-owners of the J. Lyons & Co. cornerhouse empire.
Through the Salmon family, Shackleton is a cousin to Nigella
Nigella Lawson
Nigella Lucy Lawson is an English food writer, journalist and broadcaster. Lawson is the daughter of Nigel Lawson, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Vanessa Salmon, whose family owned the J. Lyons and Co. empire...
and Dominic Lawson
Dominic Lawson
Dominic Ralph Campden Lawson is a British journalist.-Background:Educated at Westminster School and then Christ Church, Oxford, he is the elder son of a former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Lawson and socialite Vanessa Salmon, heir to the Lyons Corner House empire, who died of...
, and George Monbiot
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
. Shackleton was educated at Benenden School
Benenden School
Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England. It is located in Benenden in the Kentish countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. She had ambitions to be a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, but was discouraged because she was thought not to be clever enough. She attended Exeter University, graduating with a third class degree in law. Shackleton then trained as a cordon bleu chef
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...
, and became an executive caterer for boardrooms before training to be a solicitor. In July 2010, she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Exeter in the form of an LL.D.
On 21 December 2010, the Queen created Shackleton a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, of Belgravia in the City of Westminster. She will sit as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Legal career
Shackleton qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and by 1986, she had become a partner at Farrer and Co, the royal solicitors. In the same year Shackleton and other international family lawyers, including Jane Simpson and Raymond ToothRaymond Tooth
Raymond Clive Tooth is a matrimonial and family law lawyer and racehorse owner in the United Kingdom. He is renowned for representing the wives of male celebrities in high profile divorces.-Education and career:...
, co-founded the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an invitation only organization which now consists of over 500 of the world's leading family lawyers. Her first high profile case was that of The Duke
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
. Her handling of the case for the Duke so impressed Lord Goodman
Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman
Arnold Abraham Goodman, Baron Goodman, CH, QC, was a British lawyer and political advisor.-Life:Lord Goodman was educated at University College London and Downing College, Cambridge. He became a leading London lawyer as Senior Partner in the law firm Goodman, Derrick & Co...
, he recommended her to The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
to handle his divorce.
Shackleton joined Payne Hicks Beach in 2001 as a partner. Shackleton is reputed to have fallen out of royal favour in the aftermath of the Paul Burrell
Paul Burrell
Paul Burrell, RVM is a former servant of the British Royal Household. He was a footman for Queen Elizabeth II and later butler to Diana, Princess of Wales...
affair
Burrell affair
The Burrell affair was a scandal in 2002 which arose from a number of allegations about the behaviour of the British Royal Family and their servants...
and the suggestions of a cover up over allegations of a homosexual rape within the royal household, put Shackleton in her own words: "Under pressure for a solution to be reached more speedily than I was able to achieve". She was criticised in the Peat Report on the proceedings.
In the 2005 the New Year Honours List, she was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
and remains solicitor for The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
In early October 2011, the Daily Telegraph reported that Shackleton has been overcharging several of her clients, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of pounds. One bill to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
had been 'marked up' by ₤100,000. Shackleton expressed relief when the singer agreed to pay the ₤221,000 bill, which had been marked up. In a private email to a colleague she wrote: "This is good news as I was worried that they were cross about the bill," she wrote, adding: "We obviously shd have asked for more?!!!!! F x." Sir Paul McCartney also had at least one bill marked up by Shackleton from ₤14,000 to ₤150,000. When interviewed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority about her billing practices, Shackleton admitted being "slack with time sheets".
Famous cases
Shackleton's high profile cases include:- The DukePrince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Duchess of York (afterwards Sarah, Duchess of YorkSarah, Duchess of YorkSarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
) - The PrinceCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Princess of Wales (afterwards Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
): where Shackleton represented the Prince. Diana was able to negotiate a £17m settlement and observers saw the outcome as a creditable draw. On the same date when Buckingham Palace announced to the public that the Prince and Princess had reached a settlement, The Queen issued Letters Patent to regulate the styles and titles of former members of the Royal Family after divorce. Information about those Letters Patent was included by the Palace in the same press release that contained the announcement of the divorce agreement. In accordance with those Letters Patent, Diana lost her style of Royal Highness when the decree absolute of divorce was issued. The forfeiture of the title of Royal Highness is often attributed to the diligence of Shackleton, but styles of members of the Royal Family are governed by the prerogative of the Sovereign. - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Heather Mills: in which Shackleton represented the former Beatle, and secured leading QC Sir Nicholas MostynNicholas MostynSir Nicholas Anthony Joseph Ghislain Mostyn , styled The Hon. Mr Justice Mostyn, is a British High Court of Justice judge in the family division, and a former leading divorce lawyer.-Early life:...
before Mills solicitor Anthony Julius, leading to them being known during the case by the media as the "legal dream team." Mills described Shackleton in an interview with Larry KingLarry KingLawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
thusly: "There’s this nasty woman – Fiona Shackleton. She wants to drag it out as long as possible to fill her pockets and she’s said some pretty mean things when I was in a wheelchair.” At the final settlement hearing, Mills poured a jug of water over Shackleton's head. - Claire and Thierry HenryThierry HenryThierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
: in which Shackleton represents wife Claire, whose marriage broke down after the ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
striker left for Barcelona. - John CleeseJohn CleeseJohn Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
and Alyce Faye EichelbergerAlyce Faye EichelbergerAlyce Faye Cleese is an American psychotherapist, author and talk radio host. She was previously married to golfer Dave Eichelberger, and comedian and actor John Cleese....
:, in which she represented Alyce Faye. Cleese said afterwards, "What I find so unfair is that if we both died today, her children would get much more than mine".
In 2006 Shackleton won an apology and damages from Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
over suggestions of impropriety in the Charles and Diana divorce case.
In 2011 the Daily Telegraph reports that Shackleton has overcharged at least 9 of her clients by an estimated ₤659,000.
Personal life
Shackleton is married to Ian, a financial consultant, who is related to Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest ShackletonErnest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
. The couple have two daughters, and the family lives in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
. Shackleton has revealed in interviews that in her personal view, divorce is the worst case scenario in any relationship.
Quotations
- "A courtroom is a barbaric venue in which to pick over the carcass of a failed marriage".
- "This is good news as I was worried that they were cross about the bill. We obviously shd have asked for more?!!!!!"
See also
- Anne-Marie Hutchinson
- James StewartJames Stewart (solicitor)James Stewart , is a London based solicitor and collaborative lawyer, who acts for celebrities and others in often high-profile and international divorce and family law cases. A partner at Manches, he is top ranked in the Legal 500, Spears WMS Legal Index and in Chambers UK 2011...
- Marilyn StoweMarilyn StoweMarilyn Stowe is an English solicitor. She has been described by The Times as "one of the most formidable and sought-after divorce lawyers in the UK", and described as "one of the country's leading divorce lawyers". She is also known for unearthing the medical evidence that freed Sally Clark, the...
- Jane Simpson
- Collaborative Family Law
- International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
External links
- Profile at Payne Hicks Beach
- Profile: Fiona Shackleton Sunday Times (London), 23 March 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2008