Prince Harry, along with other high-profile individuals like Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost, are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd., the publisher of Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, for allegedly engaging in phone-hacking and other unlawful behaviors. The legal battle has been ongoing for years, but a ruling by a London judge is expected soon.
Background of the Case
The lawsuit alleges that Associated Newspapers commissioned private investigators to bug homes, cars, and phone conversations. Gavin Burrows, one such investigator, admitted to hacking Hurley’s phone and collecting information about her and others for a fee. The defense has sought to bar evidence of payments to investigators due to confidentiality rules. However, Attorney Steven Heffer believes that the defense is unlikely to prevail if they concealed unlawful activity.
Associated Newspapers denies the allegations and argues that the cases should be thrown out due to the six-year limitation period. Attorney Adrian Beltrami also suggests that claimants did not bring their lawsuits within the legal timeframe since the scandal received widespread attention.
Prince Harry’s Involvement
Prince Harry attributes his delayed involvement in the case against the Daily Mail to lack of information from “The Institution”, referring to Buckingham Palace. The royal family’s inner workings have a complex relationship with tabloids, though Prince Harry vows to make reforming British tabloids his life’s work. He blames an overly aggressive press for contributing to the 1997 car crash death of his mother, Princess Diana.
After facing what he deemed “vicious persistent attacks on…intrusive, sometimes racist articles” about his wife Meghan Markle in tabloids, Prince Harry decided to take more aggressive legal action regarding his own privacy.
Current Status of Lawsuit
Judge Matthew Nicklin heard arguments from both sides in recent weeks and is expected to rule on whether the case should proceed to a trial. Associated Newspapers is seeking summary judgment, which would result in their victory without a trial, and attempting to strike much of the evidence against them. However, Attorney David Sherborne argues that the deadline for filing the lawsuits should be extended due to the covert nature of the snooping and the publisher’s denial tactics.
Four more claimants, including Elton John, have made appearances in court. Doreen Lawrence’s involvement, in particular, could be problematic for Associated as the Daily Mail campaigned for her son’s killers’ prosecution while allegedly tapping her phones and monitoring her bank accounts.
It remains unclear when Judge Nicklin will deliver his verdict on whether the case will proceed to a trial, but a drawn-out legal battle seems inevitable.
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