Damned by the tabloids, Prince Harry joins Sir Elton in trial against the media

1 month ago 24

London: Prince Harry took his seat in a London courtroom on Monday to seek vindication in a fight with the press over years of scandalous stories.

Damned for years by the tabloid media in Britain, the Duke of Sussex is demanding his say over how some journalists dug up news about him and the royal family.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives at court in London on Monday.

And he is not alone in accusing The Daily Mail, one of the country’s most powerful newspapers, of using illegal ploys such as phone hacking and “blagging” – making false claims to trick people into divulging information – to get its news.

Celebrities including Sir Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley have joined Harry in a court case that is estimated to cost £38.8 million ($78 million) in legal bills and could take nine weeks.

But the owner of the media outlet, Associated Newspapers, has vigorously denied any wrongdoing over stories that appeared between 1993 and 2018.

That means the outcome will be a test for the Prince over his account of the past when he testifies on Thursday. And it could be a costly ruling for Jonathan Vere Harmsworth, the hereditary peer Viscount Rothermere, whose great-grandfather founded The Daily Mail in 1896.

Actress Elizabeth Hurley arrives at court with her son, Damian.

The court hearing began on Monday (London time) with Harry arriving in court with a calm wave to supporters and journalists gathered outside. Hurley arrived with her son, Damian. John and his husband, David Furnish, watched the proceedings on a video link.

The opening claims from the Prince’s legal team confirmed the high stakes.

One claim is that the journalists unlawfully obtained details of a “private and intimate” conversation between Harry and his brother, Prince William, about photographs of the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in 1997.

Another is that the journalists gained illegal access to information about one of Harry’s ex-girlfriends, Chelsy Davy, including her flight details on a trip to South Africa.

A third claim is that the newspaper used a private investigator to illegally obtain flight records for Harry and his security officer, even though the Prince travelled under a pseudonym.

Another is that journalists unlawfully gained details of a private discussion between Harry and William about a memorial for their mother that involved help from John. The musician famously sang a version of Candle in the Wind at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.

Harry claims the newspaper gathered information about his relationships with Laura Gerard-Leigh and Natalie Pinkham, as well as Davy.

For the Prince, the focus is on media coverage of his youth and his relationships before he met Meghan Markle, whom he married in 2018. She has remained at their home in California with their two children.

The publicity about case is clouded, however, by the dim view of Harry in parts of the media and the public. His choice of wife has led to highly critical coverage of the couple for many years, draining him of the popularity he enjoyed as a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot who founded the Invictus Games to help disabled veterans.

Commentators turned on Harry after he chose to leave the UK, reveal details of the royal family in a book, conduct a tell-all interview with television host Oprah Winfrey and give up his royal duties for life in California.

Even so, the stakes are higher than the Prince’s fortunes because other key figures say their privacy was breached by journalists who hired private investigators to find personal details.

The barrister representing all the claimants, David Sherborne, cited text messages, invoices, payment details and other records to argue the company knew the information was obtained by breaking the law.

Prince Harry leaves London’s High Court on Monday.

Those claims revive the concerns about journalism from the investigation into phone hacking more than a decade ago. Confronted at a UK parliamentary inquiry about the hacking, News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch said he had not known of the wrongdoing and was shocked by what he heard.

“This is the most humble day of my life,” he told the inquiry.

News Corp is not a party to the current case and no new claims have been made against it. Harry settled a claim against News Corp and its London tabloid, The Sun, for an estimated £10 million early last year.

Now this new case will test parts of the British media all over again.

Jude Law, the actor known for The Talented Mr Ripley and other movies, is claiming that a private investigator gained information illegally about him and his wife.

Billie Piper, the actor and singer known for starring in Doctor Who, claims the newspaper gained private information about phone calls with her husband.

One witness, American private investigator Daniel Portley-Hanks, known as “Detective Danno” to the journalists he helped, is expected to testify about receiving more than $US1 million ($1.5 million) from The Daily Mail over two decades.

Other investigators are also due to give evidence, but one of them, Gavin Burrows, has claimed his signature was forged on a statement about what he knew of the methods used to obtain information.

There are many ways journalists can obtain information. The Daily Mail and its owner insist their editors and reporters did not descend to the illegal methods described in the allegations against them. The defence team is yet to be heard – and there are nine weeks to go.

Lawyer David Sherborne arrives at court.

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