Prince Harry—first Royal to testify in court in 130 years
In an extremely rare event, Prince Harry took the witness stand on Tuesday in London's High Court as he confronted Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in a legal battle. With this, the Duke of Sussex became the first British royal to appear in the witness box since 1890. At the heart of the legal dispute lies Harry's frustration with tabloid coverage using unlawful methods.
Why does this story matter?
Harry has alleged that around 140 articles published by MGN were obtained through "illegal" means, and of these, 33 articles have been selected to be considered during the trial. While this is Harry's first appearance in a court case, it may not be his last. He and his wife, Meghan Markle, have filed multiple lawsuits since 2019, accusing MGN of privacy breaches.
What you need to know about Harry's phone hacking trial
Harry, along with three other claimants representing numerous high-profile celebrities, has filed a lawsuit against MGN, alleging that its publications obtained private information through "phone hacking and other illicit means." The trial commenced on May 10 and is anticipated to span seven weeks. MGN is disputing the allegations, contending in its court filings that there is insufficient evidence of hacking in all the cases.
Judge was frustrated with Harry's absence on the first day
On Monday, to the reported frustration of the judge, Harry was absent for the first day of his trial. The Duke of Sussex's representative stated that he had flown to Los Angeles to celebrate his two-year-old daughter Princess Lilibet's birthday on Sunday. "I'm somewhat surprised," Justice Timothy Fancourt remarked, noting that he had instructed the prince to be present for the trial's opening day.
What happened on the first day of trial?
Per reports, inside the courtroom, David Sherborne—Royal's legal representative—presented key aspects of Harry's case and produced several articles that would be examined during the trial in the court. One of the notable articles—dated September 1996—bore the headline, "Diana so sad on Harry's big day." MGN denies that the article was a result of unlawful activity, arguing the information was already in the public domain.
