The Duke of Sussex has spoken of how he experienced a lack of privacy 'from birth' as he described the 'personal and reputational cost for me, my wife, and our children' of taking legal action against 'powerful institutions'. Harry delivered a keynote speech in Washington DC on Tuesday – the day his father the King's historic state visit to the US was announced.
Speaking at the IAPP global summit on privacy, AI governance and cybersecurity law, Harry called privacy a 'foundational issue' that underpins the 'trust, safety and the stability of our societies'. He added: 'Now, my connection to privacy, and the lack of it, begins in a different place than most. From birth.'
The duke, who stepped aside from the working monarchy six years ago, revealed he has spent the past seven years in litigation against three media organisations in the UK over their 'systemic and unlawful invasions of privacy'. Harry and other household names are waiting to hear whether they have won their High Court cases against the Daily Mail's publisher Associated Newspapers Limited for unlawful information-gathering.
Harry was previously awarded £140,600 in damages by a judge from Mirror Group Newspapers in 2023 and settled a claim against News Group Newspapers in 2025, receiving substantial damages and a 'full and unequivocal apology'. In Washington, he insisted his legal fight was 'absolutely' worth it despite the cost, saying: 'This is about more than one individual – it is about the systems that shape and influence all of our lives.'
