The Duke of Sussex has delivered a forceful rebuttal in the High Court, directly challenging claims that his private information was obtained through legitimate channels by journalists. Giving evidence at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Prince Harry insisted his social circle was not "leaky" and accused Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, of employing unlawful surveillance techniques against him.
Rejecting the 'Leaky Circle' Allegation
In terse exchanges with ANL's lead barrister, Antony White, the Duke firmly rejected the publisher's assertion that journalists secured information about him from friends and acquaintances rather than through illicit means. "My social circles were not leaky, I want to make that absolutely clear," Harry stated emphatically. He explained that the moment he became suspicious about someone, he had to cut them off, adding: "When you are in a situation like this, the moment something private is out, your circle of trust and knowledge decreases over time."
Claims of Systematic Surveillance
In a written witness statement submitted to the court, Harry detailed what he described as a systematic campaign of surveillance. He alleged the techniques included:
- The hacking of his voicemails
- Landline tapping and hardwire tapping
- Blagging and obtaining itemised phone bills
- Obtaining private flight information for his former girlfriend, Chelsy Davy
The Duke accused the publisher of having "a campaign, an obsession of having every aspect of my life under surveillance so they could get the run on their competitors and drive me paranoid beyond belief, isolating me, and probably wanting to drive me to drugs and drinking to sell more of their papers."
Broader Legal Action
Prince Harry is making these claims against ANL alongside six other high-profile figures who have accused the publisher of using unlawful techniques. The group includes:
- Doreen Lawrence, mother of Stephen Lawrence who was killed in a racist murder over 30 years ago
- Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish
- Actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost
- Former Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes
Defence Arguments and Counterclaims
During the hearing, White suggested that journalists who wrote some of the 14 articles Harry is complaining about had sources within his social circle and could have secured information legitimately. The barrister pointed to Katie Nicholl, a former Mail on Sunday royal correspondent who wrote several stories, noting she attended the same social events and nightclubs as Harry.
White also suggested the Duke had a good relationship with Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's royal editor, and that he was at one point Facebook friends with a third journalist. Harry responded unequivocally: "I did not have a good relationship with Ms English. Quite the opposite. For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not friends with any of these journalists and never have been."
Institutional Constraints and Press Relations
The Duke revealed he was prevented from complaining about stories at the time by "the institution I was in," referring to the royal family. "If you complain, they [the press] double down on you, in my experience," he told the court. Harry said he learned of alleged unlawful activity by the Daily Mail publisher after taking action against the publishers of the Daily Mirror and The Sun.
Publisher's Position and Ongoing Proceedings
Associated Newspapers has consistently denied any wrongdoing, previously describing the claims as "lurid" and "preposterous." The publisher maintains that stories were obtained "entirely legitimately from information provided by contacts of the journalists responsible, including individuals in the Duke of Sussex's social circle, press officers and publicists, freelance journalists, photographers and prior reports."
White has told the court the seven claimants were "clutching at straws in the wind and seeking to bind them together" by asking the court to equate payment of a private investigator with proof that unlawful means were being used. The barrister argued Harry's social circle "was and was known to be a good source of leaks or disclosure of information to the media about what he got up to in his private life."
In his written submission, Harry stated: "I am determined to hold Associated accountable, for everyone's sake. I am therefore committed to pursuing this claim because I believe it is in the public's interest. If the defendant, the owner of various national newspapers, including The Daily Mail which, by its own definition, is the most influential and popular newspaper in the UK, can evade justice without there being a trial of my claims, then what does that say about the industry as a whole and the consequences for our great country."
The trial continues at the Royal Courts of Justice, with proceedings expected to examine further evidence from both sides in this high-profile legal battle over press practices and privacy rights.
