Prince Harry arrives at High Court in London for legal battle
The Duke of Sussex has arrived at the High Court in London for a hearing in his claim over allegations of unlawful information-gathering.
Harry’s claim against Associated Newspapers is part of a bid to end other High Court accusations brought by people including Harry, Sir Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence over alleged unlawful activity at its titles.
The group including Sir Elton’s husband David Furnish and actresses Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost, announced in October they were bringing claims for misuse of private information against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).
Their lawyers said at that time the group have ‘become aware of compelling and highly distressing evidence that they have been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy’ by ANL.
A four-day preliminary High Court hearing, starting today will consider legal arguments and a judge will decide whether the case will go any further.
Just weeks ago, Harry laid bare his troubled relationship with his father the King and brother the Prince of Wales in his controversial autobiography Spare.
The King was due to be away on Monday on the first official state visit of his reign, but the trip to France was cancelled due to rioting over pension reforms, meaning Charles is now in the UK at the same time as Harry for the first time in six months.
But Buckingham Palace said the King was not in Windsor or London and would be leaving for a state visit to Germany on Wednesday morning.
Harry is also unlikely to be meeting up with William.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are not currently in Windsor because of the youngsters’ school Easter holidays.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their UK home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, in a move sanctioned by the King, meaning Harry could spend some of his time packing up any remaining possessions.
The duke is also taking legal action against the Home Office over security arrangements when he is in the UK, raising questions about his own security provisions during this visit.
In a statement announcing the launch of the legal action, released by Hamlins law firm, it was alleged the unlawful acts included hiring private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside cars and homes and recording private phone conversations.
The publisher hit back at the allegations, describing them at the time as ‘preposterous smears’ and a ‘pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal’.
A spokesperson for ANL also said the allegations were ‘unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims, based on no credible evidence’.
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