rince Harry took the witness stand for the second day of gruelling High Court evidence in his phone hacking trial, to face tough questions on his army career and the breakdown of his first romantic relationship.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, is in the midst of a legal assault on the tabloid press, accusing newspapers of hounding him throughout his life and breaking the law in pursuit of exclusives.
In the historic, first day of evidence in a trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), Harry talked of his fears and paranoia when private details of his relationship with former girlfriend Chelsy Davy hit the headlines.
On a trip to Mozambique, he found reporters already checked in to the same hotel that he was staying it, while he was “disturbed” to learn journalists and photographers had been “hunting” him as he enjoyed a gap year break on the sunshine coast of Noosa in Australia.
Harry said women he dated ended up “not just in a relationship with me but with the entire tabloid press as the third party”, and he detailed a frightening incident at Heathrow Airport where “burly and dodgy looking” paparazzi had discovered he was meeting Ms Davy off a flight.
“I realised that MGN journalists were blagging her flight details so that would know exactly when she was going to arrive”, he said.
“The paparazzi would be so aggressive in their pursuit of her that we would have to enlist the help of the airport police, which obviously detracts from their main task of keeping the airports, and the general public who use them, safe.”
He said he was devastated when his on-off relationship with Ms Davy ultimately ended, as she “made the decision that a royal life was not for her”.
Harry faces further tough questions on Wednesday from MGN’s barrister, Andrew Green KC, over stories about his military career and the breakdown of his romance with Ms Davy. The publisher argues stories came from other legal sources rather than phone hacking.
David Sherborne arrives at court on Monday
/ AFP via Getty ImagesThe Prince is represented by barrister to the stars David Sherborne, who counts Meghan Markle and Princess Diana as past clients, and recently emerged victorious from the Wagatha Christie High Court battle where he was Coleen Rooney’s lead counsel.
Mr Sherborne is expected to put further questions to Harry before his stint giving evidence draws to a close.
Harry made a string of bombshell comments during his first day of evidence at the Rolls Building of the High Court, in a case before Mr Justice Fancourt.
Harry arrives at court on Wednesday
/ REUTERSTogether with two soap stars and a comedian’s ex-wife, the Duke is suing MGN over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful newsgathering spanning nearly two decades.
Harry says he was subjected to intrusion into his private life from the age of 11, he has lost friends due to paranoia and distrust, and has suffered bouts of depression while under the global media spotlight.
In evidence on Tuesday, the Prince suggested tabloid journalists and editors have “blood on their hands” over the relentless pursuit of the rich and famous for news stories.
“Trolls react and mobilise to stories they create”, he said. “People have died as a result, and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can’t see any other way out. How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.”
He took aim at Rishi Sunak’s government, calling it “rock bottom”, and said it is his personal mission to rid journalism of unlawful elements for the good of British society.
“Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo”, he said. ”I feel there’s a responsibility to expose this criminal activity in the name of public interest.”
Harry denied past claims of drug-taking at the Highgrove home of his father, King Charles, and took aim at Royal correspondents for allegedly inventing quotes and sources.
His personal animosity towards Piers Morgan came to the fore over allegations the former Daily Mirror editor knew about phone hacking and illegal targeting of his mother, Princess Diana.
In letters written shortly before her death, Diana told TV presenter Michael Barrymore she was “devastated” the Mirror had found out about their private friendship, adding: “Nobody knew about our conversations/phone call.”
The Duke of Sussex: Prince Harry at High Court hearing for phone hacking claims
Harry told the court: “The thought of Piers Morgan and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother’s private and sensitive messages…and then having given her a “nightmare time” three months prior to her death in Paris, makes me feel physically sick and even more determined to hold those responsible, including Mr Morgan, accountable for their vile and entirely unjustified behaviour.”
The Duke endured tough questioning from Mr Green, who pointed out that a number of stories Harry believes were the result of phone hacking or unlawful newsgathering were follow-ups to exclusives in other newspapers, contained official Palace quotes, and in one instance appeared to emanate from an interview he himself had given.
MGN says there is no direct evidence to support Harry’s allegations, but the Prince countered that phone records have been destroyed amid a “cover-up” of wrongdoing.
He pointed to payments between journalists and private investigators suspected of unlawful activity, saying the stories contained private details which was “deeply suspicious”.
Mr Green also read back to Harry extracts of his own autobiography, Spare, to highlight alleged contradictions with his High Court evidence.
The trial continues.
