Strickland heir to file appeal after court rules in favour of Foundation

Robert Hornyold Strickland will be appealing court's decision to reject claims against Strickland Foundation over Lija palazzo use

Robert Hornyold Strickland
Robert Hornyold Strickland

The heir and nephew of Mabel Strickland, Robert Hornyold Strickland, will be filing an appeal against a court’s decision to reject a number of claims he filed against the Strickland Foundation over the use of her Lija palazzo.

The case concerned the interpretation of Mabel Strickland’s will on the extent of the right of use and habitation granted to her nephew Robert Hornyold Strickland, of Villa Parisio, which she also left as the property and seat of the Strickland Foundation – the major shareholder in Allied Newspapers, publishers of The Times.

In her will, Strickland bequeathed Villa Parisio to the Foundation and granted Hornyold Strickland “the right of use and habitation of the guests rooms with bathroom and study at Villa Parisio, provided that the enjoyment of such right shall in no way intefere with the work of the foundation.”

Hornyold Strickland insists that his rights extend to all the rooms in the villa, and requested the court to order the foundation to grant him possession of all these rooms. The foundation claims the will limits him to “the guests rooms with bathroom and study at Villa Parisio provided that the enjoyment of such right shall in no way intefere with the work of the foundation.”

But Judge Silvio Meli rejected Hornyold Strickland’s interpretation, saying his use of the villa is limited to those areas indicated by the executors of the will.

The judge also partially accepted two claims made by Hornyold Strickland points, going as far as to strongly censure the behaviour of the Strickland Foundation in treating the family “with inhuman disrespect” and “that the foundation should not treat” Mabel’s heir “like some insignificant person that is not worthy of human respect”.