Prince Harry and pop icon Elton John were seen at a London court on Monday in relation to a high-profile privacy claim against a UK newspaper publisher.
The group of complainants, which includes actresses Liz Hurley and Doreen Lawrence (mother of murder victim Stephen Lawrence), as well as former Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes, alleged that the publisher of the Daily Mail commissioned illegal entry into private property, intercepted voicemail messages, and obtained medical records.
Lawyer David Sherborne, representing the group, stated in written submissions to the court that the claimants were “the victim of numerous unlawful acts carried out by the defendant, or by those acting on the instructions of its newspapers, The Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday.” These acts included “illegally intercepting voicemail messages, listening into live landline calls, obtaining private information such as itemized phone bills or medical records by deception, using private investigators to commit these unlawful information gathering acts on their behalf, and even commissioning the breaking and entry into private property.”
The publisher, Associated Newspapers Ltd. (ANL), has described the allegations as “preposterous smears” and a “pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal.” ANL also claimed that the allegations are “stale” and should be dismissed without a trial.
The preliminary hearing is being held over four days at the high court, and both Prince Harry and Elton John were in attendance on the first day.
Prince Harry, who has relocated to the US after quitting royal duties in 2020 and has been critical of the British royal family, was seen smiling as he arrived at the court in central London. He sat near the back of the court, two seats away from fellow complainant Frost.
Prince Harry has long had a strained relationship with the media, following the death of his mother Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997 after being pursued by paparazzi. This privacy claim adds to the ongoing tension between the Duke of Sussex and the media.
The phone hacking scandal in Britain, which was first exposed in 2006, involved journalists at the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World hacking into the voicemails of royals, celebrities, and murder victims. The scandal led to the closure of the newspaper and the imprisonment of several journalists.
The preliminary hearing will determine whether the case will proceed to a full trial.
