Prince Harry’s legal team returned to court in London on Tuesday as part of an ongoing lawsuit against Associated Newspapers (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday,
and MailOnline. This appearance comes just days after the prince lost a separate legal battle over the withdrawal of his police protection in the UK and gave a candid interview expressing his emotional struggles and fractured relationship with his father, King Charles III.
Harry is joined in the lawsuit by singer Elton John and five other prominent British public figures. They allege that ANL engaged in extensive and unlawful invasions of privacy over the past 30 years. The claims include phone tapping, home bugging, and the use of deception to obtain private medical records. The group also accuses current senior editors and journalists of participating in or being aware of these alleged practices.
ANL has strongly denied the accusations, calling the allegations from Harry and the other claimants "preposterous."
At the hearing, which is scheduled to last two days, the focus is on the disclosure of evidence ahead of a full trial expected next year. David Sherborne, representing the claimants, said the documents provided so far reveal a “widespread use of unlawful information gathering” but that limitations on access to materials have only allowed for a partial understanding of the misconduct.
Lawyers for ANL argue that the claimants have failed to supply adequate evidence to support their accusations and maintain that no concrete details have been given regarding the alleged hacking, tapping, or other illegal activities.
The court appearance follows a difficult week for Prince Harry. On Friday, he lost an appeal challenging the UK government’s decision to end his automatic right to police protection while visiting Britain. Harry, who now lives in California with his wife Meghan and their two children, said he was "devastated" by the ruling.
In a BBC interview, he shared that his father, King Charles—who is undergoing treatment for cancer—no longer speaks to him, largely due to disagreements over security arrangements. He expressed concern about the king’s health, saying he doesn’t know “how much longer my father has.”
Since relocating to the U.S. in 2020 and stepping down from royal duties, Harry and Meghan have frequently spoken out against the royal family. They have made allegations of internal sabotage and press collusion in interviews, documentaries, and Harry's memoir Spare.
After the recent court decision, Harry released a statement accusing the royal institution of having targeted his late mother, Princess Diana, undermining his security, and fueling hostility toward his family.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on his statements, emphasizing instead that the prince’s security arrangements have been thoroughly reviewed by the courts.
Meanwhile, King Charles and other senior royals took part in public events on Monday marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Palace officials stressed that their focus remains on these commemorations.
Harry has previously won a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers and settled a case with Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper group, which admitted to unlawfully intruding into Diana’s private life. Photo by Alex.muller, Wikimedia commons.