In a tense and emotional testimony, Prince Harry has accused the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday of making his wife Meghan’s life an “absolute misery.” Speaking at the High Court in London, the Duke of Sussex said the “terrifying” coverage of his previous relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsea Davy had left him “really worried something bad was going to happen.”
The prince’s voice broke as he told the court that the legal battle had been a “horrible experience” for his family, and all he wanted was “an apology and some accountability.” He is one of seven high-profile claimants accusing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) of “grave breaches of privacy” over a 20-year period, which the publisher has denied.
In his witness statement, Prince Harry accused the publisher of “probably wanting to drive me to drugs and drinking to sell more of their papers.” He also said it was “beyond cruel” to publish an article detailing “confidential discussions” he had with his family after a photo of his late mother, Princess Diana, was published in the Italian press.
The prince struck a sometimes-terse tone while answering questions from the publisher’s lawyer for more than two hours on Wednesday. He was interrupted multiple times by the judge, who reminded him his “job” was to answer the questions rather than argue his case.
When asked why he did not complain about the articles when they were published between 2001 and 2013, Prince Harry said he “was not allowed to complain” because he was a member of the “institution” – meaning the Royal Family. He responded: “Hindsight is a beautiful thing, Mr White.”
Following his court appearance, a spokesperson for the prince said the cross-examination had been “revealing in its weakness.” They added: “Today we reminded the Mail group who is on trial and why.”
The claimants have accused ANL of “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering” for stories between 1993 and “beyond” 2018, including through private investigators and blagging. The case is expected to last nine weeks.
