A new trial has commenced in London as Prince Harry continues his legal battle against the tabloid press, suing the publisher of the Daily Mail for allegedly using illegal methods to obtain information about his private life.
The younger son of King Charles III is expected to be present at the UK High Court for the opening session, according to news reports
Prince Harry, who resides in California with his wife Meghan and their two children, also provided testimony last Thursday, mirroring his 2023 appearance in a separate lawsuit against MGN, publisher of the Daily Mirror. That case made him the first member of the British royal family in over a century to testify in a UK trial.
In addition to Prince Harry, six other plaintiffs, including singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish, and actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd., publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
They allege that the company deliberately planted listening devices in their cars and homes between 1993 and 2011, hacked their phone conversations using private investigators, and bribed police officers to access confidential information.
The media group strongly denies all allegations. The trial is expected to last nine weeks.
Prince Harry’s legal campaign against the tabloids is closely linked to his belief that aggressive media practices contributed to the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a 1997 car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.
In 2023, Harry won a case against MGN over articles based on hacked phone messages, with the High Court awarding him £140,600 (around $189,000) in damages.
A year earlier, he reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, after the company admitted to phone hacking and agreed to pay “substantial compensation,” avoiding a lengthy trial.
Prince Harry is not expected to meet his father, King Charles III, during his visit, as the monarch will be in Scotland.
