In a tense and gripping courtroom encounter, Prince Harry took the witness stand, likely for the final time, as he continues his high-profile legal battles with the British press. This latest case pits the Duke of Sussex against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, in what he has described as a “horrible experience”.
Over the course of two hours of questioning, an emotional Harry railed against the “disgusting” notion that he was not entitled to a private life, and spoke of the toll that alleged press intrusion has taken on him and his family. “They’ve made my wife’s life an absolute misery,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
The prince painted a picture of a life constantly surrounded by anxieties over leaks and intrusion, creating a deep-seated distrust of those around him. He batted away suggestions that some of the journalists who wrote about him were part of his social circle, sharply retorting: “Good for her.”
Opposing Harry was the patient, unemotional approach of Associated Newspapers’ barrister, Antony White, who offered alternative explanations for the sources of the stories, arguing they were obtained legitimately. It was a clash of the broad, emotive arguments from the prince versus the laser-focused legal approach of the defence.
The courtroom itself was a far cry from the historic, wood-panelled halls often associated with royal proceedings. Instead, it resembled a modern university lecture theatre, with rows of lawyers surrounded by boxes of folders and papers.
This case is the latest in a long line of legal battles Harry has waged against the British media, stretching back many years. Now in his 40s, the prince is no longer the young, carefree royal of the public imagination, but a man determined to hold the press to account for what he sees as a lifetime of hounding and unlawful intrusion.
As the case continues over the coming weeks, both sides will undoubtedly claim victory on various points. But for Harry, this may well be a chapter closing, a chance to have his say and convey his sense of moral outrage, while avoiding igniting any new media storms about his family.
“Today we reminded the Mail group who is on trial and why,” the prince said after his appearance. Whether this proves to be a pyrrhic victory or a meaningful step towards closure remains to be seen.
