The Duke of Sussex is among seven prominent figures launching legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, in a trial that began on Monday. The group, which also includes Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, alleges that ANL engaged in unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to install listening devices in cars, accessing private phone conversations, and obtaining private records through deception.
ANL has vehemently denied the allegations, describing them as “preposterous smears” and an attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal. The publisher sought to have the cases thrown out without a trial, arguing that the claims were brought too late and were “stale”. However, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed this bid, ruling that each claimant had a “real prospect” of proving that ANL concealed relevant facts that delayed their claims.
During a preliminary hearing, barrister David Sherborne, representing the group, detailed the alleged unlawful acts, including illegally intercepting voicemail messages, listening to live landline calls, and obtaining medical records. He stated that the activities spanned from 1993 to 2011, and in some cases continued until 2018. The group also claims that private investigator Gavin Burrows was involved, though Burrows has provided conflicting statements about his role.
The Duke of Sussex attended the hearing, marking his first return to the UK since the late Queen’s funeral in September 2022. The group expressed delight at the judge’s decision to allow the trial to proceed, while ANL said they look forward to establishing in court that the claims are “lurid” and without merit. The trial is expected to last nine weeks.
