The London Ritz is not connected to its Paris namesake. Both were founded by the same man, but are now under entirely separate ownership. The Paris Ritz was where Princess Diana dined just before her fatal car crash in 1997.

While both hotels share a legendary name and a common founder, The Ritz London and The Ritz Paris are not currently owned or operated by the same company. Both were founded by Swiss hotelier César Ritz—the Paris location in 1898 and the London location in 1906—and they initially shared the same vision of French "Art de Vivre." However, they have been under separate ownership for decades. In 2026, The Ritz London is owned by a private Qatari investor (purchased in 2020), while The Ritz Paris remains privately owned by the Al-Fayed family. Interestingly, neither hotel is part of the "Ritz-Carlton" brand managed by Marriott International; that brand grew from a separate licensing agreement. While they maintain a similar aesthetic of gilded luxury and impeccable service, they are independent landmarks with their own distinct management structures and historical legacies, though they occasionally collaborate on heritage celebrations.