Prince Harry at the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May.Photo:Andy Stenning - WPA Pool/Getty
Andy Stenning - WPA Pool/Getty
Prince Harryemerged victorious in his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful acts, inspiring a dive into the other litigation he is involved with against newspaper publishers in the U.K.
As the MGN case ends, here’s everything to know about Prince Harry’s current lawsuits.
David Sherbourne reads a written statement on behalf of his legal client Prince Harry following the ruling in his favor in a lawsuit against the Mirror Group on December 15.Leon Neal/Getty Images
Leon Neal/Getty Images
Mirror Group Newspapers
On Friday, Prince Harry won his phone hacking lawsuit against MGN, the publisher of theDaily Mirror,Sunday Mirror,The Sunday Peopleand more.
The Duke of Sussexfirst filed a lawsuit against MGNin 2019, alleging that his phone voicemails were hacked using unlawful information gathering. He was one of four “representative” claimants chosen as “test cases” from a larger group of high-profile figures suing the publisher,The Independentpreviously reported.
The trial began in May, andKing Charles’ youngest son made history in June as the first prominent member of the British royal family to give evidence in court in 130 years when he took the stand to testify against the newspaper group.
Prince Harry arrives to give evidence at the Mirror Group Phone hacking trial at the Rolls Building at High Court on June 6.Neil Mockford/GC Images
Neil Mockford/GC Images
In London court on June 6, Harry argued that about 140 articles published from 1996 to 2010 contained information obtained via unlawful methods, theBBCreported. Thirty-three of the stories were selected for consideration in the court case, the outlet said, and Justice Fancourt handed down the judgment on Friday.
News Group Newspapers
Prince Harry is also suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher ofThe Sunand the now-defunctNews of the World, over alleged invasions of privacy from the mid-1990s until 2016,Reutersreported. The case is likely to be heard at a trial in January 2025.
While Harry’s allegations about the publisher using illegal methods to gather information will go to trial, Justice Fancourt dismissed another claim of his relating to phone hacking.
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The court also previously heard Harry’s claim that a “secret agreement” was struck between Buckingham Palace and NGN which had prevented him from taking legal action sooner.
In July, however, Fancourt stated that Harry had not “provided any evidence from those in the palace who would have been aware of a secret agreement if there was one.”
Associated Newspapers, Alleged Illegal Information Gathering
Prince Harry,Elton JohnandElizabeth Hurleyare among the high-profile figures suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publisher of theDaily MailandMail on Sunday, for illegal information gathering. The Duke of Sussex made asurprise appearanceat High Court in London when the legal case began in March, and ultimately attended three days of the four day-hearing
The hearing was held to consider legal arguments from both sides and will conclude with a judge’s ruling on whether the case should go to trial. ANL has denied any wrongdoing and argued that the case should be thrown out because of the six-year rule, which the High Court rejected,Reutersreported.
On Nov. 10, the High Court ruled that the case could continue to trial.
Associated Newspapers, Libel Claims
Prince Harry may be called to give evidence in London court next year afterlosing an attemptto have theMail on Sunday’s defense of his libel lawsuit thrown out.
On Dec. 8, Justice Nicklin said in his judgment that the Duke of Sussex’s lawsuit against ANL over a 2022 article alleging that he only offered to pay for police protection after bringing a separate legal fight against the British government should proceed to trial.
source: people.com
