Counsel’s Duty to his Client
In 1820, King George IV sought to divorce his estranged wife Caroline. Aware that George intended to expose his wife’s private life to public ridicule, her defence counsel Henry Brougham reminded that Lord’s that a barrister’s sacred duty to his client demanded that he ruin his own or anyone else’s reputation in her cause if necessary — even a king’s.
Brougham assured the Lords that ruining the king’s reputation was a last resort, and told them that he preferred to build his case on Caroline’s innocence. Counsel for the king, he said, had proved nothing against her except that she had gone to live in Italy, and for all that was worth they were welcome to use it.
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