The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to give evidence as the opening witness in a major privacy trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
A Landmark Legal Battle Over Alleged Unlawful Activities
Prince Harry is one of seven high-profile claimants suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a raft of alleged unlawful activities. The group, which also includes Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, model Elizabeth Hurley, actress Sadie Frost, and former Liberal Democrat president Sir Simon Hughes, alleges the publisher engaged in phone hacking, the interception of landline calls, and the 'blagging' or illicit obtaining of personal information.
The claims, which date back to 1997, involve serious accusations that journalists commissioned private investigators to hack mobile phone voicemails, eavesdrop on live calls, and obtain confidential medical, financial, and ex-directory records. The claimants launched their joint case in 2022, initially including an allegation about 'the commissioning of burglaries' to obtain information, though this specific claim was struck out by the court in a preliminary hearing last year.
Associated Newspapers has vigorously denied all allegations, labelling them "unfounded and untrue," and has lodged what it calls a "trenchant defence of its journalism."
The Key Players and a Contested Witness
Prince Harry, who flew in from his home in California for the trial's opening, arrived at court with his solicitor, Callum Galbraith, entering via a rear entrance at 10.06am. He is scheduled to give evidence all day on Thursday. The case, estimated to cost a staggering £38 million, began with an opening statement from the claimants' barrister, David Sherborne, who is set to spend a day and a half outlining their case.
A central but contested figure in the case is former private investigator Gavin Burrows. Prince Harry and four other claimants cited Burrows's alleged 'confessions' to carrying out illegal activities for the newspapers as a key reason for launching their lawsuits. However, Burrows has since denied ever working for Associated Newspapers. He claims a witness statement presented in his name by the claimants' legal team is a forgery and that the signature on it is not his.
Burrows has been served with a witness summons and is scheduled to give evidence in early February, though he has requested to do so from abroad via video link, casting doubt on his appearance. Last week, Mr Sherborne told the court that Prince Harry's legal team now faces "exceptionally serious" counter-allegations of fraud, dishonesty, and conspiracy from the publisher.
A Protracted Court Process Ahead
The trial is set to be a lengthy and detailed affair. The seven claimants will spend approximately three weeks presenting their case, with each expected to enter the witness box to give evidence and be cross-examined by ANL's barristers. They are supported by several witnesses, including Sadie Frost's former husband, actor Jude Law.
Following the claimants' case, the defence is scheduled to present evidence from more than 40 witnesses, including journalists from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday who will be questioned about the true sources of their stories. The defence case is expected to last until mid-March.
The presiding judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, will hear all evidence before delivering his ruling on the high-stakes case later in the year. The outcome will be closely watched for its significant implications on press freedom, privacy rights, and the legacy of the phone-hacking era in British media.
