LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Harry will on Friday find out the result of his phone-hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People.
The case – which saw Harry become the first senior British royal for 130 years to appear as a witness in court at the trial in June – is just one of several Harry and his wife Meghan have filed against media organisations since 2019.
Here are details of some of their lawsuits:
MIRROR GROUP NEWSPAPERS OVER ALLEGED PHONE-HACKING
Harry accuses the publisher of hacking his voicemails and other unlawful information gathering between 1996 and 2011.
The trial began in May, with Harry seeking damages of around 440,000 pounds ($540,000). He gave evidence in June that he would “feel some injustice” if the court did not conclude he was a victim of unlawful information gathering.
MGN argued there is no evidence Harry’s phone was hacked and said he should receive just 500 pounds for one occasion when a private investigator was asked to unlawfully gather information.
The court’s ruling will be announced on Friday morning.
NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS OVER ALLEGED PHONE-HACKING
Harry also sued News Group Newspapers (NGN), which publishes the Sun tabloid and used to produce the now defunct News of the World.
NGN tried to have the case thrown out as it should have been brought sooner, but Harry said he did not due to a “secret agreement” between Britain’s royal family and NGN.
The High Court ruled in July that Harry could not sue NGN for alleged phone-hacking and rejected his argument that there was a secret deal between the publisher and senior royals.
But the remainder of Harry’s case was allowed to continue, with a trial likely to begin in early 2025.
ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OVER NUMEROUS ALLEGED UNLAWFUL ACTS
Seven high-profile public figures, including Harry and singer Elton John, are suing ANL over allegations of phone-tapping and other unlawful activities.
ANL, which denies any wrongdoing, tried to have the cases thrown out on the basis that they were brought too late at a March hearing attended by Harry, John and others.
The High Court rejected ANL’s application.
ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS’ LIBEL CLAIMS
Harry successfully sued ANL for libel in 2020 over an article which accused him of having snubbed the Royal Marines, with ANL apologising and paying damages.
The prince launched another lawsuit against ANL in February 2022, over a Mail on Sunday article that accused him of trying to mislead the public about a separate legal battle with the government over his police protection.
In March, Harry sought to throw out ANL’s defence but the High Court ruled earlier this month that the case must go to trial – raising the prospect of the royal entering the witness box again at some point in 2024.
ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS FOR PRINTING MEGHAN’S LETTER
Meghan won a privacy claim against ANL in February 2021 after its Mail on Sunday tabloid printed extracts of a letter she had written to her estranged father in 2018.
The publisher’s appeal was rejected.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Mark Heinrich)
