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Prince Harry arrives at the High Court to give evidence in his hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers.
The first time in 130 years a senior Royal has appeared in a court witness box.
And promises to be box office… I’m off to get my seat in court! #PrinceHarry #Hacking
The first time in 130 years a senior Royal has appeared in a court witness box.
And promises to be box office… I’m off to get my seat in court! #PrinceHarry #Hacking
Prince Harry was quiet and sounded nervous as he stated his name “Prince Harry” and swore an oath on the bible in the witness box
I’ve never heard a barrister have to explain to the court the protocol on how to address a witness… “Your Royal Highness” in the first instance, then “Prince Harry”
Prince Harry says decision to “reluctantly” step back from Royal role was in large part “due to the constant intrusion, inciting of hatred & harassment by the tabloid press into every aspect of our private lives, which had a devastating impact on our mental health and wellbeing”
“It was a downward spiral, whereby the tabloids would constantly try and coax me, a ‘damaged’ young man, into doing something stupid that would make a good story and sell lots of newspapers. Looking back on it now, such behaviour on their part is utterly vile.”
Prince Harry writes in his witness statement “How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.”
He explains the comment was directed more broadly at the tabloid press rather than specific Mirror Group Newspaper journalists.
He explains the comment was directed more broadly at the tabloid press rather than specific Mirror Group Newspaper journalists.
Prince Harry’s witness statement is 55 pages long. He writes…
“What I complain of here is illegal or unlawful, and that is something which I feel incredibly strongly about.”
“What I complain of here is illegal or unlawful, and that is something which I feel incredibly strongly about.”
“I genuinely feel that in every relationship that I’ve ever had – be that with friends, girlfriends, with family or with the army, there’s always been a third party involved, namely the tabloid press.”
“It created a huge amount of paranoia in my relationships. I would become immediately suspicious of anyone that was named in a story about me
I felt that I couldn’t trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age.”
I felt that I couldn’t trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age.”
“I feel somewhat relieved to know that my paranoia towards my friends and family had, in fact, been misplaced, although feel sad for how much it impacted my adolescence.”
In his witness statement #PrinceHarry makes several references to his late mother #PrincessDiana
“There are even eight private investigator payments made in relation to my mother, which I have only learnt of since bringing my claim. This makes me feel physically sick.”
“There are even eight private investigator payments made in relation to my mother, which I have only learnt of since bringing my claim. This makes me feel physically sick.”
The Duke of Sussex singles out Piers Morgan for criticism
“The thought of Piers Morgan and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother’s private and sensitive messages (in the same way as they have me)…
“…and then having given her a “nightmare time” three months prior to her death in Paris, makes me feel physically sick and even more determined to hold those responsible, including Mr Morgan, accountable for their vile and entirely unjustified behaviour.”
“As a consequence of me bringing my Mirror Group claim, both myself and my wife have been subjected to a barrage of horrific personal attacks and intimidation from Piers Morgan, who was the Editor of the Daily Mirror between 1995 and 2004…
…presumably in retaliation and in the hope that I will back down, before being able to hold him properly accountable for his unlawful activity towards both me and my mother during his editorship.”
“The problem is that, over the last 15 to 20 years, there are now incredibly powerful media companies who masquerade as journalists and who have, quite literally, hijacked journalistic privileges for their own personal gain and agenda, It’s an unbelievably dangerous place.”
“I am bringing this claim, not because I hate the tabloid press or even necessarily a section of it, but in order to properly hold the people who have hijacked those privileges, which come with being a member of the press, to account for their actions.”
“I feel there’s a responsibility to expose this criminal activity in the name of public interest.”
Prince Harry attempts to lighten to mood by quipping “you’ve got me doing a work-out” as the defence barrister repeatedly asks him to pull out the huge bundles of documents involved in this complicated case.
Prince Harry has been asked to raise his voice in court. The barrister for Mirror Group Newspapers, Andrew Green KC, jokes “not in anger I hope!”
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