Prince Harry has returned to the High Court in London this week as a major trial begins against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, is one of seven prominent figures taking legal action over alleged long running privacy breaches by the media group.
Harry’s lawsuit, now entering a nine week trial, accuses ANL of a “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering” over more than two decades.
The claims include allegations that private investigators were hired to intercept voicemails, bug phones and cars, and deceptively obtain private records for stories about his personal life. Fellow claimants include Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Simon Hughes.
In court submissions, Harry’s legal team described the alleged press intrusion as deeply distressing, leaving the duke feeling “paranoid beyond belief” and causing strain on his relationships.
ANL strongly denies the allegations, arguing that its reporting came from legitimate sources and dismissing claims of unlawful conduct. The publisher has also suggested that some information may have come from insiders within the claimants’ social circles.
Harry is expected to give evidence in person, underscoring the high stakes of the case — not just for him and the other claimants, but for broader debates over press behaviour and privacy rights in the UK.
