Prince Harry faced questions from the Mirror lawyers in court. Image: REUTERS.
Royal Prince Harry to learn verdicts on allegations of hacking.
On Friday morning, the Duke of Sussex will learn the outcome of a historic case in which he has accused Mirror Group Newspapers of illegally collecting information.
So far, his accusations of phone hacking and other unethical techniques to gather news have built up to this point.
The 33 sample stories that Prince Harry claims were obtained illegally will be decided upon by a judge in the High Court.
A defence attorney for the Mirror Group called the claims “entirely speculative” and disagreed with them.
Prince Harry made history in June, becoming the first senior royal of the modern era to personally deliver comprehensive testimony in court, drawing immense attention from across the world.
He was interrogated for two days on his claims that the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and People, three of the group’s newspapers, had extensively covered him for years using illegally obtained material.
After 10:30, the court will publish his verdict, which will probably be more than 100 pages long and thorough.
Given that each story is likely to have its own set of rules, the prince could come out on top in some cases while losing in others, leaving room for both camps to claim victory.
As an example, Prince Harry mentioned his relationship with Chelsy Davy, an ex-girlfriend, and how he had dealt with “intrusion and hate” due to persistent invasions of his privacy.
“For my whole life, the press has misled me and covered up the wrongdoing,” he commented.
The accusations were deemed “wildly overstated” by the lawyers for the Mirror Group, who claimed that the prince’s evidence had not provided conclusive proof of any hacking incidents.
Asking for compensation
Their statement put the allegations of hacking in the “realms of total speculation” and stated that the information originated from credible sources like news releases.
With the 33 stories, Prince Harry is suing for £320,000 in damages in this civil lawsuit.
However, the prince’s desire for a day in court to substantiate his claims of phone hacking and other intrusions—which he has blamed for much of his worry and disturbance in life—has always made it appear like there’s been more at stake than just the money.
The Mirror newspapers are also playing with high-stakes money; they’ve reportedly spent £100 million on damages and legal fees related to past hacking cases.
Tricky inquiries
The success of Prince Harry’s lawsuit might pave the way for scores of others who are rumored to be contemplating similar actions.
Furthermore, challenging questions regarding the hierarchy of the newspaper group’s knowledge may arise based on the judge’s conclusions.
Mirror Group is just one of several media conglomerates that Prince Harry is suing; he is also suing Associated Newspapers and News Group Newspapers.
This will be the most consequential ruling thus far, with a judge reaching a verdict following a complete trial; he has had numerous procedural legal disputes, claims, and counter-claims.
Michael Le Vell (real name Michael Turner), an actor from Coronation Street, Nikki Sanderson, and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse, are three of the claimants whose claims the judge will hear alongside Prince Harry.