LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry entered the witness box Wednesday for his testimony against the publisher of the Daily Mail in the final round of his battle against the British tabloids.
Harry says in his lengthy
witness statement that he was distressed and disturbed by the intrusion of his early life by the Mail and its sister Sunday newspaper and it made him “paranoid beyond belief.”
Harry and six other prominent figures, including Elton John and actor Elizabeth Hurley, allege that Associated Newspapers Ltd. invaded their privacy by engaging in a “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering” for two decades.
Defense lawyer Antony White immediately began cross-examining Harry on his written evidence. The company has vehemently denied the allegations and says witnesses from the newspapers will name names of sources when they testify in the nine-week trial.
Harry was dressed in a dark suit as he stepped up to the witness box. He held a small Bible in his right hand as he swore on “almighty God that the evidence I shall give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
The Duke of Sussex said he preferred to be addressed simply as Prince Harry.
It is the Duke of Sussex’s second time testifying after he bucked House of Windsor tradition and became the first senior royal to testify in a court in well over a century when he took the stand in his similar lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mirror in 2023.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry is set to begin giving evidence Wednesday in a London court in his privacy invasion case against the Daily Mail and its sister Sunday newspaper.
Tens of millions of dollars are on the line in the case in which Harry, who is also known as the Duke of Sussex, is joined by Elton John, actors Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, and others who claim the publisher of the Mail hired private investigators to bug their cars, obtain their personal records and eavesdrop on phone calls.
It’s the final round in Harry’ battle with the British tabloids with his lawyer alleging that the papers engaged in a “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering” for two decades.
Associated Newspapers Ltd. has denied the allegations, saying the articles in question were reported with legitimate sources that included “leaky” associates willing to dish dirt on their famous friends.
Harry had been set to give evidence on Thursday, but opening submissions for concluded earlier than expected on Tuesday.
The prince is expected to arrive at court at 11 a.m. (1100 GMT) and give evidence at around 11.30 a.m.
