The Duke of Sussex’s trial against the publisher of The Sun is set to begin on Tuesday as Prince Harry seeks to prove allegations of unlawful information gathering.
Harry, 40, is expected to return to the UK in February to give evidence over several days, supporting his claim that journalists and private investigators working for The Sun targeted him.
He is pursuing the case against News Group Newspapers (NGN) alongside former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson. The trial, which has been adjourned twice since Harry initiated his legal action, is one of several court battles the prince has undertaken since stepping down as a working royal five years ago.
NGN, which denies any unlawful information gathering at The Sun, is defending the claims in a case that is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
As the Duke of Sussex’s legal battle begins at the High Court in London, here are the key questions:
What has Harry accused the publishers of?
Harry is bringing legal action against NGN over allegations of unlawful information gathering. He claims that journalists and private investigators working for NGN targeted him to obtain material for news stories.
In July 2023, the High Court ruled that Harry’s case could proceed to trial, though he was barred from bringing a claim related to phone hacking. The case will now focus on other allegations, including the use of private investigators.
In March 2023, Harry was also denied permission to amend his claim to include allegations that The Sun hired private investigators to target his then-girlfriend Meghan Markle in 2016. He was further prohibited from pursuing claims against Rupert Murdoch himself, whom he accused of making a “secret deal” with senior royals.
However, Harry has been permitted to use emails exchanged between NGN executives and members of the royal household, sent between 2013 and 2019, as part of his evidence.
How long will the trial go on for?
The case is expected to run for up to 10 weeks.
Harry will be among those giving evidence and is likely to be cross-examined over several days. The court will also hear claims that NGN unlawfully gathered information to form the basis of news articles.
Who else is involved?
Lord Tom Watson, former deputy leader of the Labour Party, is also pursuing legal action against NGN.
While Harry and Lord Watson’s cases are proceeding to trial, many high-profile individuals have already settled claims against NGN. Between July and December last year, 39 people reached settlements, including actor Hugh Grant, who resolved his claim in April after being warned he risked £10 million in legal costs if his case went to trial.
Other individuals who have settled include actress Sienna Miller, former footballer Paul Gascoigne, comedian Catherine Tate, radio presenter Chris Moyles, Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm, ex-Boyzone member Shane Lynch, and actor Mathew Horne.
Speaking at The New York Times DealBook Summit in December, Harry said: “They’ve settled because they’ve had to settle. So therefore, one of the main reasons for seeing this through is accountability, because I’m the last person that can actually achieve that.”
What do NGN say?
NGN, a subsidiary of News UK owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, has strongly denied the allegations.
In 2011, NGN published an apology to victims of voicemail interception by the News of the World and has since paid out millions of pounds to more than 1,300 claimants. However, it maintains that no unlawful activity occurred at The Sun.
A spokesperson for NGN said Harry’s claim would be “fully defended,” adding that both Harry’s and Lord Watson’s cases were “brought out of time.”
NGN argues that Harry’s allegations of mobile phone hacking have already been struck out by the court. It will defend claims of unlawful information gathering, focusing on alleged activity by private investigators in the early 2000s. NGN has also denied accusations of email destruction between 2010 and 2011.
How does it differ from his claim against the publishers of The Mirror?
In 2023, the High Court ruled on Harry’s case against the publishers of The Mirror.
A 386-page judgment found that “extensive” phone hacking had taken place at Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles over several years. This included phone hacking, “blagging” (gaining information by deception), and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
The case against MGN was heard over a seven-week trial and included testimony from Harry, alongside other representative claimants.
