August M
Prince Harry is back in London as another high-profile legal battle with the British press gets underway.
The case is part of a wider challenge to media practices that the Duke of Sussex says crossed the line over many years.
Case overview
Prince Harry is due to appear at the High Court today for a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail.
He is among several public figures alleging unlawful information gathering, including claims of private investigators being hired, listening devices being placed in cars, “blagging” of private records and accessing confidential phone conversations.
ANL has strongly denied all wrongdoing, reports The Express.
Who is involved
Six other well-known figures have joined the legal action alongside the Duke of Sussex. They include Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence, and former Liberal Democrat politician Sir Simon Hughes.
Actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost are also part of the group bringing the case.
The claims relate to alleged activities said to have taken place between 1993 and 2011, which the claimants describe as “abhorrent criminal activity”.
Trial timeline
The trial is expected to last around nine weeks and will take place at the High Court in London.
It marks Prince Harry’s second appearance in the witness box in recent years. In 2023, he became the first senior member of the Royal Family in more than a century to give evidence in court.
Lawyers for both the claimants and ANL will begin proceedings with opening statements.
Harry’s role
Prince Harry is expected to attend court today, tomorrow and Thursday before returning to the United States on Friday.
According to a draft timetable, he is due to spend a full day giving evidence on Thursday and will face questioning from ANL’s legal team.
He is not expected to attend the court proceedings beyond this initial week.
Family absent
Meghan Markle is not accompanying Prince Harry to the UK and will not appear in court.
The Duchess of Sussex remains in California with the couple’s children, six-year-old Prince Archie and four-year-old Princess Lilibet. Meghan and the children have not visited the UK since 2022.
Harry has previously said he believes it is unsafe for his family to travel to Britain without police protection.
Sources: The Express
