Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) has taken to the stand to defend itself against claims of alleged unlawful gathering of information – through phone hacking and other means – against several notable figures, including Prince Harry.
Other prominent figures who are suing include Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, and Doreen Lawrence.
The 38-year-old testified as a witness in June, marking the first time a member of British Royalty has taken to the stands since the 19th century.
WATCH: Prince Harry in court for Associated Newspapers trial. Article continues after video.
In the high court trial, the claimants accused the UK publisher of accessing private information illicitly between 1991 and 2011.
David Sherborne, the lawyer representing Harry has said, “Prince or not, the blatantly unlawful and illegal methods that were used by the defendant … was quite frankly appalling.
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“No one should have been subjected to that.”
While MGN is contesting these allegations, documents lodged with the London High Court reveal that the publisher admitted the use of a private investigator in one circumstance to unlawfully gather information in 2004.
In regards to this one admitted occasion, the documents extend an apology to the Prince, saying it (the publisher) “unreservedly apologises and accepts that [Harry] is entitled to appropriate compensation.”
However, when providing evidence in court, lawyers for MGN have said that the embattled Prince should be given a mere £500 in damages, a far cry from the more than £200,000 in damages that the Duke of Sussex is seeking.
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“The Duke of Sussex accepted on multiple occasions that the supposedly private information about which he complains had in fact been previously and extensively published elsewhere by other media outlets or had been placed into the public domain by palace spokespeople,” MGN lawyer Andrew Green told the court.
“In seeking to hold one element of the tabloid press to account for the intrusion the Duke of Sussex believes he has suffered at the hands of all press…he has advanced a claim which is wildly overstated and substantially baseless.”
WATCH: Prince Harry arrives at High Court in London. Article continues after video.
Moreover, whilst the lawyers said that MGN had “enormous sympathy” for the Prince’s poor, and often traumatic experience with the media, they were quick to redirect blame, telling the London High Court in their closing submission that the Prince was bringing legal action against MGN specifically “as a vehicle to seek to reform the British media.”
Previously, Prince Harry made the allegation in court documents that his brother, Prince William was also preparing to fight the publisher. Rather than appearing in court, the Duke of Sussex alleged that his brother settled for “a very large sum of money”.
The current trial is set to wrap up sometime in July after a seven-week period. A judgement is expected in the coming months.
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