The outcome of Prince Harry's final lawsuit against the British tabloids may depend on the credibility of a private investigator who previously admitted to snooping on the royal. The Duke of Sussex and other claimants, including Elton John and actors Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley, are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd., publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, for alleged unlawful information gathering.
Defence lawyer Antony White argued in his closing statement that the case was based on a statement by investigator Gavin Burrows, who allegedly said he “must have done hundreds of jobs” for the Mail between 2000 and 2005. However, Burrows testified that he never carried out such activities for the Mail and claimed the statement was fabricated and his signature forged.
Judge Matthew Nicklin, who will issue a written ruling later, repeatedly questioned the claimants' lawyer about the case's viability if Burrows' original statement were rejected. Claimants' lawyer David Sherborne said there was ample other evidence of unlawful information gathering, including phone tapping and voicemail interception by other investigators and journalists.
Harry and the other claimants seek substantial damages, including aggravated damages, with legal costs estimated at nearly £40 million. The trial is the final chapter in Harry's long-running battle with the British tabloid press, which he blames for contributing to his mother Princess Diana's death and for making his wife Meghan's life “an absolute misery.”
Associated Newspapers denies the allegations as “preposterous,” claiming the articles were based on lawful sources such as friends and royal aides. The company also argues that claims dating back to the 1990s were filed too late. Harry previously won a phone hacking case against the Daily Mirror and received a settlement from Rupert Murdoch's Sun and News of the World.
