Camilla Jessen
Harry prepares to testify in High Court case.
Prince Harry is returning to London next week for what is expected to be the final chapter in his long-running legal battle with the British tabloid press.
The Duke of Sussex is preparing to give evidence in person.
Back in court
Prince Harry, 41, is expected to attend High Court proceedings starting Monday, Jan. 19, and take the witness stand on Thursday, Jan. 22, according to a draft trial timetable made public this week.
The hearing marks the last legal step in a series of lawsuits Harry has brought against U.K. tabloids.
This case targets Associated Newspapers (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
ANL has denied the allegations.
Serious accusations
Harry is one of several high-profile claimants accusing ANL of unlawful information gathering. Others involved in the case include Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost.
According to the BBC, the group alleges that journalists used illegal methods to obtain private information over a number of years. ANL has said it will “vigorously” contest the claims.
The trial is expected to examine how the alleged practices affected the claimants’ private lives.
A historic precedent
This will be the second time in three years that Prince Harry has given evidence in a British court.
In 2023, he became the first senior royal in 130 years to testify, during a phone-hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers.
In that case, Harry told the court, “I’ve experienced hostility from the press since I was born,” describing how tabloids branded him a “playboy prince” and a “failure.”
He later won the case and received “substantial” damages.
Family distance
Unlike previous visits, Harry is not expected to see any members of the royal family during his time in London.
King Charles will be in Scotland for engagements at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, while Prince William and Kate Middleton are also scheduled for official visits north of the border.
Harry and his father last met briefly in September 2025, their first in-person meeting in 18 months.
Sources: BBC, court filings
