Prince Harry's Emotional Court Testimony: Media Attacks Made Meghan's Life 'Absolute Misery'

An emotional Prince Harry appeared to choke up in court on Wednesday as he referenced relentless media attacks upon his wife, Meghan Markle, claiming they have made her life 'an absolute misery'. During his two-and-a-half hours in the witness stand, the Duke of Sussex became visibly upset, describing the experience as a 'recurring traumatic event' and a 'repeat of the past'.

Legal Battle Over Unlawful Information Gathering

Harry is among several high-profile figures, including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The case centres on allegations of unlawful information gathering, such as phone hacking, 'blagging' private records, and obtaining flight details. ANL has strongly denied any wrongdoing and is vigorously defending the claims.

In a frosty exchange, Harry told the High Court it was 'disgusting' to hear ANL argue in their defence that he does not have any right to privacy. He asserted, 'I have never believed that my life is open season to be commercialised by these people.' Leaving the courtroom, he continued to appear distressed, sniffling as he exited through the door.

Denial of 'Mr Mischief' Facebook Profile Allegations

During cross-examination, Antony White KC, representing ANL, alleged that Harry used a Facebook profile under the pseudonym 'Mr Mischief' to contact Mail on Sunday journalist Charlotte Griffiths. Mr White suggested they exchanged friendly messages and socialised at a house party in Ibiza in 2011. However, Harry firmly denied these claims, stating he had only ever travelled to Ibiza with his wife and son, Prince Archie.

Harry explained that it was Ms Griffiths' job to extract information from his friends, but they were aware of this and how such information would be used. He emphasised, 'My social circles were not leaky, I want to make that absolutely clear.' He added that if he became suspicious of someone, he would have to cut contact with them immediately.

Historical Grievances and Intrusive Media Coverage

In his witness statement, Harry revealed he has always had an 'uneasy relationship' with the press since the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. He described a former institutional policy of 'never complain, never explain', but noted, 'If you complain, they double down on you, in my experience.'

The duke claims 14 articles published by ANL between 2001 and 2013 were based on unlawful information gathering and written in a 'highly intrusive and damaging way'. These include:

An article about 'confidential discussions' he had after a photo of a dying Diana was published in the Italian press, which he called 'beyond cruel'.
A Daily Mail article from July 2006 regarding private discussions with his brother, the now-Prince of Wales, which he described as 'really disgusting'.
Intrusive coverage of his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy, which he said was 'terrifying' and made her feel like she was being hunted.
A 2013 article detailing a 'lonely New Year's Eve', referencing his previous relationship with Cressida Bonas, which he labelled 'creepy'.

Harry expressed frustration over the media's tactics, stating, 'It feels like every aspect of your life behind closed doors is being displayed to the world for amusement, entertainment and money.'

Allegations of 'Game-Playing and Dirty Tricks'

Before his evidence began, a source close to the duke accused ANL of 'game-playing and dirty tricks' by allegedly failing to inform the court that their opening argument would last less than two hours. The source claimed this was an attempt to give Harry less time to prepare, but added, 'He's been preparing for this moment for the last three years. Safe to say, he's ready.'

In response, an ANL spokesperson said, 'Prince Harry has been in London since the weekend ready to give evidence in this case, which he launched three-and-a-half years ago. We don't intend to dignify this briefing by the other side with any further comment.'

The trial is due to conclude in March, with a judgment expected in writing at a later date. This case highlights ongoing tensions between public figures and the media, raising critical questions about privacy rights and journalistic ethics in the digital age.