In a scathing testimony before the High Court, Prince Harry has accused the publisher of the Daily Mail of orchestrating a relentless campaign to invade his privacy and that of his wife, the Duchess of Sussex. The Duke of Sussex, visibly emotional, alleged that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) has “made Meghan’s life an absolute misery” through unlawful information gathering tactics.
Recounting his distress, Prince Harry told the court that the publisher’s actions had driven him to the brink of substance abuse, stating, “They continue to come after me. They have made my wife’s life an absolute misery, my lord.” The Duke accused ANL of “delving into every single aspect” of his private life, including “listening in to calls and blagging flights” to track his movements.
This legal battle is the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between the royal couple and the British tabloid press. In 2021, Meghan won a copyright claim over a personal letter she had written to her father, which the Mail on Sunday had published. Now, Harry and six other prominent figures, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, are suing ANL for alleged unlawful information gathering tactics, such as the use of private investigators and hacking.
The Duke insisted that he did not have a “leaky” social circle that provided stories to the publisher’s journalists, stating that he had to cut off anyone he became suspicious of. He rejected the publisher’s claims that the information was obtained legitimately through contacts within his social circle, press officers, and publicists.
“I am determined to hold Associated accountable, for everyone’s sake,” Harry said in his written statement. “If the defendant, the owner of various national newspapers including the Daily Mail, which, by its own definition, is the most influential and popular newspaper in the UK, can evade justice without there being a trial of my claims, then what does that say about the industry as a whole and the consequences for our great country?”
The trial continues, with the Duke of Sussex’s impassioned testimony highlighting the ongoing battle between the royal family and the British media.
