Prince Harry is back in a London court for a nine-week trial against the Daily Mail’s publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering
LONDON: Prince Harry arrived at London’s High Court on Monday for the start of a nine-week trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
The Duke of Sussex is jointly suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) alongside six other high-profile claimants, including Sir Elton John and David Furnish.
They accuse the media group of commissioning unlawful activities like phone hacking, placing listening devices in cars, and impersonating people to obtain medical records.
ANL has denied the allegations, previously calling them “lurid” and “preposterous”.
Harry is expected to give evidence from the witness stand on Thursday.
This marks his third and final major legal case against British newspaper publishers, which he views as a personal mission to hold the media to account.
The prince has long blamed press intrusion for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.
His appearance is part of a rare trip to the UK since stepping back from royal duties and moving to California in 2020.
Other claimants set to testify include actor Elizabeth Hurley and actress Sadie Frost.
The trial follows Harry’s previous settlements and victories in cases against Mirror Group Newspapers and Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers.
Last year, NGN paid him “substantial damages” and issued a full apology for intruding into his and his mother’s private lives.
In 2023, a High Court judge ruled he was a victim of phone hacking by MGN and awarded him £140,600 in damages.
Media lawyer Mark Stephens said this final case would focus on “press freedom” and “tomorrow’s accountability for the media”.
