The Whitelaw family is an old Shadowhunter family who have lived in an array of places, ranging from Idris to London and New York. Since as early as 1903, the Whitelaws had been running the New York Institute, until they were killed by the Circle in 1989. Ironically, they were replaced by Robert and Maryse Lightwood, both of whom had a hand in killing the last inhabitants of the Institute.