This Monday, January 19, he and six other personalities began in London against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publishing group of British newspapers. Daily Mail y Mail on Sundaywho are accused of computer hacking and blagging —English term for deceiving with a pretext. In addition to the Duke of Sussex, who is leading the legal battle (at least in the media), the “supersuit” is filed by the singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish, the actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, the politician Simon Hughes and the Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon. Charles III’s best son landed from California on Sunday afternoon to be present on the first day.
Although the trial – whose cost will be around 40 million pounds – is expected to last about nine weeks, the British press has reported that , David Sherborne’s lawyer, had encouraged the seven plaintiffs to attend the opening as a “show of force.” Finally, Elton John and his husband, two of the most recognizable faces in the case, did not appear in court today. His defenses will argue that the stories picked up by the tabloids were based on “material illicitly obtained by private investigators.” In their accusations, they report hacking into their mobile phone voicemails, as well as wiretapping of landline calls and “theft” of personal information, such as financial and medical records.
As published The Telegraphthe lawsuit by the youngest son of Charles III refers specifically to 14 published articles, among which are stories about his relationships with his ex-partners Chelsy Davy, Cressida Bonas and Laura Gerard-Leigh, as well as information about his and his anger over the publication of a photograph of his dying mother in the Italian media. It also includes details of a party planned by the two brothers who are now feuding after Princess Diana’s commemorative concert and of Henry of England’s relationship with Tiggy Legge-Bourke, his childhood nanny. Waiting to give evidence next Thursday, the Duke of Sussex, who arrived at the first day of the trial smiling and waving, previously stated that it was “disturbing to feel that my every movement, thought and feeling was being tracked and monitored only for the Mail will profit from it.”
One of the private investigators involved, Gavin Burrows, is expected to be key in the trial, who in a statement would have admitted the falsity of a testimony in which he claimed to have carried out an illegal collection of information on behalf of the publishing group. According to The Sunday TimesBurrows has stated in this regard: “I never received instructions or assignments from anyone in the Mail on Sunday nor of Daily Mail to carry out illegal information gathering on its behalf.” Associated Newspapers strongly denies the allegations, calling them “outrageous” and “simply absurd” and maintaining that they are part of a coordinated conspiracy against the press.
Both the relevance of the accused media outlets and their managers – among whom are editors-in-chief and important journalists – and the high profile of the plaintiffs make this one of the most high-profile cases that have been tried in Great Britain in recent years. According to media lawyer Mark Stephens: “This case questions whether Britain’s most influential publisher truly made it through the phone-hacking era without touching the water, or whether it simply avoided the spotlight.” And he assured: “For the first time, the court will examine evidence, patterns and sources that have never been proven before.”
As published The Sunday Times This Sunday, January 18, a close source stated that he feels “confident and prepared” for the judicial battle. The same source has declared The Telegraph: “Confident and prepared are the words I would use to describe his current state of mind,” and added that Prince Harry is “fortunate” to have the means to take such an expensive dispute to court, further stating that he was “not afraid” to do so. In addition to not expecting any public appearance outside the court, the British Sunday newspaper has also published that the Duke of Sussex will be the first to testify later this week.
As to whether Prince Henry will take advantage of his stay in the United Kingdom to meet other members of his family during these days – specifically, whether he will meet his father – the newspaper considers it unlikely that this will happen, given that he is carrying out official duties at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh (Scotland). The newspaper also understands that the monarch will not see his youngest son while his judicial process against the press is ongoing, as he does not want to give the impression of being involved in the case. For their part, they will also take on commitments in Scotland these days, with events planned in Stirling and Falkirk for next Tuesday, while Queen Camilla has several public appearances planned this week. The last visit of Charles III’s youngest son to the United Kingdom, when the two had a 50-minute meeting.
In a more personal reading, the current trial – the third carried out against the media – is understood as a milestone in Henry of England’s crusade against the tabloids in his country. He was a 12-year-old boy when his mother, Princess Diana, died in a car accident in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi in Paris, and he has been denouncing the often aggressive tactics of the British media for years, pledging, as on this occasion, to take them to court. In January 2025, he apologized for invading his privacy.
